Tlale, Coetzee take fashion world by storm
They came, they sewed and they conquered. This saying characterised the achievements of fashion designers David Tlale and Gert Coetzee during 2010.
Butterflies and pop-ups
Tlale began the year on a high note when in January, for his Audi Joburg Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2010 collection, he had an off-site by invitation only show.
The collection, titled Fantastical Structures, was inspired by architecture. The show attracted hundreds of followers and got good reviews.
At the Africa Fashion Week Tlale got a standing ovation with his African Butterfly show which featured a live orchestra and an opera singer.
As if that was not enough, in October the 35-year-old showed at the first ever Global Fashion Show at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
Last month he opened his new pop-up boutique on Juta Street in Braamfontein, followed by the launch of his Luella David Tlale Summer 2010 Collection at the brand new Luella store in The Zone in Rosebank.
Storms and successes
For Coetzee 2010 was the year of great storms and great successes.
After a dramatic split with red carpet queen Uyanda Mbuli, the North West School of Design graduate made his mark as a solo designer when he designed dresses for Lira, Thembi Seete, and Bonang Matheba for the Sama's in April. All three his dresses were voted "Best Dressed" out of thousands of other designer dresses.
Coetzee was also nominated as one of the top 10 designers in South Africa by Bona magazine. He also won the True Love South African Fashion Award Designer Competition.
His designs were also voted best dressed at the Safta's, as well as the J&B Met, an achievement that has never been reached by any other designer in South Africa.
In August he launched his own label GJC.
Standing out
How did they manage to remain a fashion standout?
According to Vista Kalipa of On-Point PR and Lifestyle Management, a company that specialises in entertainment and lifestyle publicity, Coetzee came into the market knowing what his signature was going to be.
He also attributes Coetzee's success to the exposure he got through DFC.
"Partnering with a celebrity like Uyanda Mbuli helped to boast his profile."
Kalipa said Tlale's strong point is in fashion design.
"He is an architect and knows how to put on a good show. He has built a credibility by being a none conformist."
Source: Sowetan
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