Urban Zulu x RMfashionary

Far from the usual, this is how I would describe a brand that I have always wanted to work with, Urban Zulu. They have previously showcased at SA Fashion Week and to everyones surprise they decided to do a show at the last moment for this season. About two weeks before Fashion Week started I got an exciting email saying that Urban Zulu would be a last minute addition to the SAFW schedule. 

Urban Zulu is a unique brand that started from humble beginnings at the Durban Flea Market. Now they are taking runways by storm and opening stores around the country. 

Details of the outfit I wore to the show on the 22nd of October.

Bag by Nomada

Henna by @taz_too (Check her out on Instagram)

I had the opportunity to go into the Urban Zulu store and choose any garment I wanted to wear for the show. There was no electricity in the Rosebank Zone when I got there but even in the dark I managed to find the perfect outfit with the help of Elisa, the sales assistant. She also suggested that I go to the craft market nearby the mall of Rosebank to get one metre of any fabric of my choosing so that she could make a head wrap for me, to compliment the outfit.

I was thrilled at how beautiful the head-wrap looked that I want to wear it all the time now! 

Urban Zulu showed off their latest collection at this seasons Fashion Week and stayed true to what they pride themselves on, ''Clothes that remain functional and contemporary in a modern society, yet still reflect the unique nuances of African Identity" (just like the dungaree I wore). The thing I love most about the brand is that the bold african print is the focal point on each garment but is not always placed on the entire garment, instead just a part of each garment has the colourful print on it. I also am a huge fan of the fact that all the designs for the garments are made and manufactured locally, yey! Click here for more about Urban Zulu or to shop the brand online.

Myself and Papy, the designer of Urban Zulu.

Wrawsilke for SA fashion Week

I've been attending shows at Fashion Week since I was seventeen. It's become a tradition for me to save up my money and buy clothing and accessories throughout the year to put aside for the fashionable week. It would take me months at a time to do so; but luckily thats no longer the case.

Being a blogger comes with perks and when designers like what you're doing they are more than willing to work with you. Wrawsilke was one of the brands that approached me to wear an outfit from their new range for SA Fashion Week.  Wrawsilke is based on Anderson street in Johannesburg town and their motto is that they can get the job done for you, whatever it may be, in a matter of hours. 

Over the years I have become so used to saving up all my money and planning for Fashion Week months in advance; so it was new to me when I had to go for a fitting on Monday afternoon, just two days before Fashion Week was set to start. I'll be honest, not having any idea what I was going to be wearing and not being able to try on a finished garment had my stomach in a knot. Either way, I let the designers of Wrawsilke work their magic and just like that they created a beautiful look from scratch. 

They worked the look around me in terms of measurements and Ndu who works for the brand researched my style in order to make something to my liking. Toni, who owns the brand dropped off the clothing for me on Friday morning and she told me that another thing her and her design team pride themselves in, is allowing the wearer to feel comfortable and confident.

If the clothes feel good, you will look and feel good too and i agree! Wrawsilke will also be showing at the LISOF fashion show in Decemeber so keep a look out for tickets.

I really loved working with Wrawsilke and I will be collaborating with them again in the new future, I can't wait! On a side note, if you have never attended Fashion Week do yourself a favour and go next year. You will be amazed at the local talent our country has to offer both on and off the runway.

I wore this look for the third day of SA Fashion Week.

My two toned Nomada box clutch, designed by me and gifted to me by Rafeeyah Hassim.

Myself and the UK bloggers who were guests at this years shows.

Hair by Raeesa Ebrahim.
All images were taken by Layla Shaik Photography.

Something Special:

A few weeks ago I was privileged enough to be asked to do make up for a very special occasion. I studied a make up course through my fashion school in order to learn more of the skill for my personal blog shoots. I also wanted to learn how to do make up for people because I love the feeling of making someone feel good about themselves with some "sparkles".

The occasion was an event held by the FOFA organization through the University of Pretoria. FOFA is a program that was designed to help disabled students through an empowering process of teaching them communication competence and helping them with employment issues. The Centre of Augmentative and Alternative Communication is filled with experts in their field of study, 'speech and hearing' but at the same time they are experts in love and care. They believe in empowering the students who go through the FOFA program by making them able to do things that anyone without a disability may be privileged enough to do.

The students get treated to a special banquet dinner where they get to dress up and show off their communication skills that they have learned. When I arrived at the university they all dazzled me as they were dressed in their best clothes and were ready for me to doll them up. What I didn't know was that besides making them feel good about themselves by adding some sparkly make up to their special day, they made me feel good with their own sparkle - their charm.

 

I and so many of you are so privileged to be able to communicate seamlessly without any difficulty. Privileged or not; what we forget is that sometimes all it takes to communicate well is a smile, which was something I noticed about these students, they always had a smile on their faces as they were so grateful. Some of them - men included - were having their make up done for the first time and I was honored to be the one doing it for them.

Like blogging, doing make up for people is another hobby I've always been fond of. Little did I know doing both these hobbies would be so uplifting. I'm grateful every day.

 

 

 

Urban Zulu Look Post

The year 2015 is racing to a close and the constant flow of events taking place before the year ends, is making it all the more fast paced.

Last week Thursday I attended not one, but two events in one night. Both the launch of the Tommy Hilifger Denim store and the Guess Accessories launch in Sandton. These events were among the last two things I did on Thursday, among others like going to campus for lectures, doing my hair and make up with my friends, replying to several emails and having a pre-photo shoot of before the actual events. By the end of the day I was exhausted but couldn't be more excited to show off my latest buy from Urban Zulu which I wore for the nights events.
 

The dress I wore is a one of a kind, It's  made of a denim fabric which I found fitting to wear for a denim launch. The top part of the dress in bright yellow is my favourite part and the most unique thing about it. The thing I like most about the brand and their garments is that they showcase their prints in pops. The print is not on the whole garment but on certain parts of it which keep it modern and urban but still ultimately Zulu. 

I've just received exclusive news today that Urban Zulu will be added to the SA Fashion Week schedule for a 22:00 show on the Thursday of Fashion Week JHB. The previous show I attended at the beginning of the year was spectacular and if the garments in store are anything to go by, this will be the show you should go out of your way to attend.

 

 

As part of an agreement with the brand I will hopefully be wearing some of their garments for Fashion Week.