Hot designs fresh off New York runway

Wide-brimmed hats are a hot item this summer. Picture: Jealous Photography

Summer is around the corner and I don’t know about you but I am looking forward to lazy days at the beach.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the first ever New York Runway SA held at the Crystal Towers Hotel in Century City where several local and New York-based designers showcased their collections.

Designer Michael Lombard’s collection kicked off the show. His 1990s grunge-inspired ready-to-wear collection left the audiences in awe. I loved the edgy leather ensembles. He played with black and caramel and many of his pieces had studded detailing.

With Joanna Hedley’s Beach Cult collection, we saw flowery, flowing dresses, leopard print maxi dresses a well as full piece bathers in bright colours.

Polka dots also made an appearance while olive is the colour to watch out for this coming season.

Next up was Honee for House of Honee and their collection can best be described as “otherworldly futuristic apparel”. The collection played with varying metallics such as gold and silver.

Chiffon; bell-bottomed pants as well as florals and fuchsia-coloured items also made it onto the runway. I have to confess, I am a huge KLûK CGDT fan so I was very excited to see what they would showcase. Their collection was characterised by large brimmed hats.

I absolutely love the look as it is a piece that can be incorporated into your summer attire. Large oversized capes, were another significant feature.

They played around with three-quarter length suits, metallics; layered chiffon dresses in pastels colours as well as slouchy pants.

Designer Jacque le Grange offered up a sea of white with models sporting white spears as they walked the runway. His pieces showcased flowing feminine silhouettes.

After the show, I caught up with businesswoman and influencer Tracey Lee Rosslind of Wynberg who has recently launched Haze Enterprises.

“I decided to get involved with New York Runway because I wanted to create a platform for my products on the runway. As an entrepreneur, I want to create a standard or bar of achievement for my brand and I want to stick to it,” she said.

Tracey is passionate about uplifting others and currently employs 30 people and aims to employee close to 200 by the end of 2020.

Talking about her skin and hair beauty range, she said what makes her range different was that it was infused with Cannabis Sativa.

Wearing a red satin dress, Tracey said that she only wears ethical and local clothing and that she dresses according to her mood.

As a self-confessed “lotions and potions” addict, I am currently obsessed with her hair and tissue oil.

The formulas are light, non-greasy and carry notes of blackcurrant. Commenting on how she curates her style: “I can start my day in a five-piece suit; in the afternoon I could change into a two-piece suit and by the end of the evening I could change it up and slip into a kimono,” she said.

Okay, so now, I know that I am not the only one who changes outfits up to three times a day. When quizzed about body positivity, Tracey said: “Everybody struggles with it. I want to encourage people to dress for their being and not only for their body”.

She also believes that women should uplift each other “sincerely”.

Tracey said that there are no hard and fast tips for dressing.

“Trust yourself. You know your body. You have lived in it your entire life. People become insecure due to fear and they fear other people’s perceptions of them. Do not fear being multifaceted. You are not just one thing.

“You are the master of your own destiny and you are constantly growing. If you can just plant one seed, you will see it will eventually flower,” she said.

Send your fashion tips and advice to mika.williams@inl.co.za and follow my_attire_world_maw on Instagram.