Two Things

First, here is a photo of one of my skirts from Escape, featured in a photoshoot for Elle Magazine SA. The Photoshoot was done by Elle New Talent Search fashion photography finalist Gerhard Coetzee.

Second...

I WON OPTIMISTIC REBELS! YES! A big thank you to all my supporters who voted for me and put up with all my annoying begging and bugging.

Jessi

Fashion Show Dreaming

So.. The big night is over. Escape has been released. Sorry this post is so late, I've literally had to force, drag, excavate myself out of the lazy haze brought about by post fashion show exhaustion! Suddenly everything seems so... slow... it's like there's no urgency. It's really very disorientating. I'm still trying to get myself back onto my running plan. Before the show was a nightmare week of no sleep, showering or sanity. There was time for nothing except fashion and preparation. Living on Red Bull and Bioplus Booster, I've heard, is very bad for one's health, which is why I'm currently on one extreme detox plan. But all complaints aside, one body and mind sacrificed, it was all so worth it.
Escape was received very well by the audience and judges, I went to bed that night with two cash prizes! I had one audience member come up to me during interval and confess that my first outfit had her in a near-tearful state of emotion. This, my dear readers, is satisfaction, knowing you designed something that spoke to the heart of a stranger. And people call fashion "superficial". I am fully puffed up with pride.
I designed a range meant to speak directly to the needs of the wearer, psychologically and emotionally. We had a discussion in culture of fashion class the other day about what a design really expresses, the intent of the designer, or the intent of the wearer. I said that truly good design will reflect both, or rather, the intent of the wearer guided into skillfully conducted beauty at the hands of the artisan, the designer. This was a year full of doubt, at times it was very difficult to see wether I was on the right path. Working so hard on something, for so long, and with so much debate from hard-headed lecturers, one tends to get discombobulated and discouraged. It's hard to keep focused and remember your goal. After the show, though, with the responses I got I know I must have done something right, having my audience understand my vision is true satisfaction.
So now the question remains... What comes next? How do I take Escape out of PE, and penetrate the global fashion industry? I guess it's about looking for the opportunities rather than waiting for them. Cliched but true. Here goes nothing.

Jessi

P.S. Escape is on show at Sliced Bread, Richmond Hill, Port Elizabeth, for anyone interested in checking it out and making orders!

P.P.S I'm still waiting for the photos from my photographer. She must be caught up in the post-show laziness too. But I will post them when I get them.