Tea with a twist at fashion event

The first ever tea brand to become involved in the exhilarating fashion industry, Five Roses brings all the elegance, warmth and style that has long been associated with the tea occasion, with the addition of a contemporary twist, making the sponsorship a perfect fit for the brand. The brand celebrates the little things that take an occasion out of the realm of the ordinary, and into the spectacular, much like the show-stopping designs of some of SA's finest fashion names at SSAFW.

Anneleigh Jacobsen, senior brand manager for Five Roses comments, “We took our first step into the world of fashion in 2006, with our debut sponsorship at SSAFW. At the time, it was quite a daring step - taking tea into an arena where it had previously never played. We did a lot of work in terms of driving the message around where tea fits into the fashion industry – and the qualities shared by the two. In fact, we have paved the way for other tea brands to become involved”.

This year, the company entrenches its position again with SSAFW, and is the official tea and hospitality partner. It will also sponsor one of the shows, taking place at SSAFW, at the Sandton Convention Centre. The show will feature designers Sarah Webber with her range, I Love Leroy, and Palesa Tshukudu and Jacky Lucking with Miss Scarlett. In addition, Five Roses will sponsor the high teas at the regional shows in Durban and Cape Town. The VIP areas and media lounge at the Convention Centre will also be branded Five Roses, where tea and iced tea will be served.

“One of the most exciting aspects of this year's sponsorship will be student design competition, which we will also sponsored”, adds Jacobsen. The student design competition is an annual event at SSAFW. Design students are invited to exhibit their own creations at the event. This year, 350 students have entered the competition and will be designing accessories using Five Roses teabags and branding. “In addition, we have commissioned two established designers (Black Coffee and Franz Grabe) and four South African artists (Gina Waldman, Vusi Mfupi, Yvonne Harvey and Mary Sibande) to design pieces for us”, adds Jacobsen. The students, designers and artists will all be working with the same theme; bringing romance into the everyday, which is a central thread in the positioning of the company's tea as a brand. The winning designs, as well the six commissioned pieces, will be on display at the summer collections during August and September.

“Our visibility at events such as Sanlam SA Fashion Week elevates the whole tea experience and re-ignites the passion for this tried and trusted beverage”, says Jacobsen. It also confirms the brand as not only a market leader, but a leader in terms of thought and innovation within the tea industry as a whole.

So, if you fancy fashion and a cup of tea, 29 August–1 September is a hot date to diarise Sanlam SA Fashion Week, at the Sandton Convention Centre.