The launch gave a little taste of and inspiration for this year's race day at Kenilworth Racecourse on 31 January. The idea behind this year's theme is putting together the unexpected and unusual, giving way to a distinctively mix and match style. The entire launch revolved around mixing things up a bit.
From the get go, invitees were treated with a cocktail made with J&B Urban Honey, the inspiration behind the 'made for the mix' theme. The dinner tables were mixed in with the catwalk, patterns were mixed with stripes, and table decorations were mixed with designer high heels, and all of this while we listened to DJ duo, Pascal and Pearce, mixing up some beats. The intimate launch on the ground floor of Cavendish allowed us to mingle with some of the best fashion connoisseurs and makers and shakers behind the J&B Met.
The fashion show consisted of three style gurus, fashion editor and bloggers Poppy Evans, Jasna Zellerhoff and Aisha Baker, who were given a chance to style their models with clothing according to the theme, from Cavendish stores.
After the formalities were done with, the first of three fashion sets traipsed into the area. It was all big hair and fun make-up right up to the last set. Fashion ranged from a subtle mix here and there to bold splashes of color and the glittery mixing with the ordinary.
Guests and casual bystanders peering over the banisters and watching from the escalators could not help but be captured by this unorthodox mixing and matching that surprisingly makes sense when put together.
The fashion sets were interspersed with a mixture of good food. Sitting down at gaudy yet stylish banquet tables, guests could enjoy an oriental salad from Col'Cacchio and delicious sushi from Ocean Basket, that was a mix unto itself. Dinner was eaten over a boom of excited whispers and occasional, even more excited exclamations about the up-and-coming J&B Met race day.
Organisers, designers and sponsors were certainly able to keep one of the oldest horse races in South Africa (now in its 38th year), original. Those attending the J&B Met race day are going to have some fun decorating themselves according to a theme where pretty much anything goes!
View the J&B Met launch gallery here.
