2020 JHB 2nd Years

CRD02 – Brief

“It is time to rewire the fashion system: we must shift towards re-imagining our industry all together” – The State of Fashion 2020; The Corona Virus Update (Amed et al,2020:6)

Learners were tasked with the assignment of creating an ensemble for the future career driven fashionista of the post-coronavirus pandemic. As designers we always need to be forward thinking and a few steps ahead of the rest therefore we will be looking at what the future holds for fashion post Covid-19 and we will be designing an ensemble for a specific client profile.

Meet your client, Fiona Apple, a young fashion graduate from LISOF. She graduated in 2018 with a BA in Fashion Media. Fiona has a super important job interview lined up for when Level 4 restrictions are lifted and South Africa moves onto Level 3.

Her interview is with the Lampost agency who house some of South Africa’s most renowned stylists, photographers and make-up artists. “Lampost is a network of highly skilled creative visionaries. Our team of world-class photographers, fashion stylists, and hair and makeup artists are driven by originality and excellence. Our unique characters and defining influencers are the individuals who are shaping contemporary culture. Always looking to the future, we nurture talent and strive to be a powerful catalyst for the ones who are redefining the imagery of our time.” (Lampost, 2020).

Fiona will need to make a striking first impression, proving that she fits into the unique vision of influencers that make up the lamppost team. She will also need to take into consideration the implications of COVID-19 in terms of keeping herself and others safe. Your task is therefore
to balance Fiona’s need for freedom through creative self-expression and her need to be and feel safe in the level 3 world – how well can you unite these two needs through creative design? Fiona has approached you, as her designer, to create the ensemble that she will be wearing to the job interview.

Fiona has done some research on WGSN to make sure that the outfit you design for her is on trend with the zeitgeist. Having a look at the Catwalks A/W 20/21 ‘Design Priorities’ Trend Report (Bowring & Park, 2020), Fiona uses this to identify the key concepts that bridge the gap in defining our new lifestyle:

 “A/W 20/21 will be the first season to feel the full impact of post-pandemic consumer lifestyle and value shifts. Retailers and brands will need to reconsider the purpose and function of all items through that lens. This report summarises the top 10 catwalk design directions that play into the need for versatility, longevity, comfort and feel-good, investment dressing.

Versatility: multipurpose, practical pieces which can transition to different environments. Longevity: transseasonal, durable items made sustainably and fit for future seasons.

Layering: focus on comfort. Pieces should be buildable and transition from early autumn to deep mid-winter.

Feel-good factor: feminine, handcrafted items that express individuality while fulfilling a function

(Bowring & Park, 2020:2)

ALANA ROXIN

AMOGELANG MOKGOTHO

ANGELA DE ANDRADE

BURLIZE TOUA

CLAIRE DIELTJIES

EMILY GORDON

GAMUCHIRAI MAPUNDU

GCINUBUHLE NYAMBOSE

GEORGIA LANDORI

GRACE KUWANI

GUNDO MAMBURU

JAIMIE HOLTZHAUSEN

KHANYSILE MHLAMBI

KOKETSO MOTLOUTSI

LEBOGANG MATHIBE

MAUNGO SEDILE

NOLUTHANDO MBANJWA

SIMONE VAN ROOYEN

TSHEPISO MAEBELA