With only minutes to go before the Suzaan Heyns fashion show, models were trying on their shoes, practicing their poses and using hand gestures so as not to interfere with their perfectly painted, pouting lips that completed the look for the designers’ autumn/winter collections.
This is Audi Joburg Fashion Week — now in its fourth year — where South Africa’s top designers come to together for a week to showcase their latest designs.
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Heyns’ career was launched when Elle magazine awarded her a bursary to the London International School of Fashion in 2001.
Behind the scenes, things were a lot less glamorous and moved a lot faster. There were stage producers, dressers and make-up artists working together to ensure the smooth running of the show.
Heyns splattered her models with baby powder, which was all part of her vision.
Dressers — a vital part of the backstage team — were waiting near the clothing racks.
‘We come in before the models and make sure that all the outfits are ready” said dresser Sanele Matiwane.
Dressers follow the brief given by the designer, but often have to make impromptu decisions themselves.
“Sometimes a shoe will break and you are then forced to improvise,” said Matiwane, who has been dressing models for two-and-a-half years.
Keeping true to the Heyns’s style, models were daringly dressed in leather, latex and rubber and high-heel boots.
“They [the models] were complaining about the shoes and blood circulation, but the outfits were beautiful,” said Jabulile Mtshali, another dresser.
‘I get to see where everything starts, which is very exciting,” she told the M&G.
Mtshali plans on becoming a fashion designer and started working as a dresser last year at the Arise Fashion Week.
She said the job could be stressful and chaotic, especially “when the designers are stressing and screaming”.
The four-day fashion showcase featured some of South Africa’s favourite designers’ such as Thula Sindi, Machere, Carducci and Karen Millen.