Anticipation is building for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, but a spectacular prelude is set to heighten the excitement: the fashion show's return from a hiatus on Thursday, March 26, at 6 pm, running until 11 pm.
Fashion and music are a match made in heaven, and Cape Town is about to get a taste of just that ahead of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
The invite-only fashion show at Youngblood-Africa Gallery will showcase local talent, fostering pride and appreciation for our creative community. The event is part of a month-long celebration of jazz, culture and art at the gallery.
The event will feature an exciting line-up of designers and brands: Simply Mooi, Moira Hurungo, House of Lefane, Malusi Malefane, Aelahn, Feroza Webster, Ruff Tung, Jacques LaGrange, Cathy, Kluk/CGDT and Helon Melon.
One of the headline designers, LaGrange, a name known both locally and internationally for his daring yet elegant aesthetic, shared why he jumped at the opportunity.
“There has been a show before, but there hasn’t been any in the last couple of years. When they approached me, I said, ‘Yes, of course I’m going to do it because I love promoting new designers, I love to show what this country has to offer,’” he said.
LaGrange believes fashion and music are the way forward. “There are only two major fashion, film, and music events showcasing these talents, and we have to make the best of it,” he added.
In a world where international artists often get draped in global labels, local designers rarely get the shine they deserve.
“You’ve never really heard of a South African designer dressing an international artist. Mariam Makeba used to do (sic) local designers, but all these people from abroad are coming in and wearing international designer clothes.
"And my thought is, why not local designers to show what we have to offer?”
For this show, LaGrange hand-picked established local brands who’ve proven their mettle.
“We chose local brands that already have been around the block. I’ve been around for 30 years in this industry. It’s established designers where the standards are next level,” he said.
The designers are being given creative freedom, turning the runway into more of an installation fashion experience than a traditional catwalk.
Of course, the show isn’t just about the veterans. “I’m excited for the young designers to showcase their work, but there are also well-established designers, such as Christiaan Gabriel Du Toit and Helon Melon,” LaGrange added.
And for himself, he’s bringing back some of his most iconic looks: “I will be showing stuff that I’ve shown before, some of it was showcased in 'Vogue' and 'Glamour', and I want to showcase them. I’m bringing sexy back!”
When asked which celebrity he’d love to see wearing his designs, he didn’t hesitate: “Tyla.”
The co-directors of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival are strongly committed to showcasing African fashion and local design, viewing the event as a celebration of African creative collaboration.
They emphasise that by integrating African fashion with jazz photography, the festival highlights the powerful visual culture surrounding the music, establishing jazz as a cultural movement that transcends sound and inspires pride and cultural connection.
Co-director Georgia Jones said, at its core, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival is a celebration of African creative collaboration.
“By bringing together African jazz photography and African fashion, we are highlighting the powerful visual culture that surrounds the music. This emphasises that jazz is not only a sound, but a cultural movement.”
Co-director Carolyn Savage said the fashion show's return to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival was incredibly meaningful for the event.
“Fashion has always been part of our creative DNA, and bringing it back after several years signals a renewed commitment to showcasing South Africa’s full creative ecosystem, where music, style and cultural expression intersect.
“It’s about celebrating local designers on a globally respected platform and reinforcing the festival as a space where different art forms come together to tell our story in a contemporary, relevant way,” emphasising the importance of supporting local talent and fostering community pride.
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) remains one of the continent's most recognised music gatherings, set to take place on March 27 and 28 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
More information about the festival is available at www.capetownjazzfest.com. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.B
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