Joris Feiertag releases new single ‘DEKY’ featuring chopped-up samples of New York-based, Japanese producer and vocalist Rei Brown

Mar 8, 2024 | New Release, Music

Dutch producer Joris Feiertag’s brand new single, DEKY, is filled with warm crackles and curious ringing keys that make way for frenetic stuttering programmed beats. Once again, the natural and alchemical elements of Feiertag’s musical output at once vie for supremacy whilst simultaneously combining to create a sound that is somewhat other-worldly.

The relentless, twitchy tempo of the track, coming in at around 154 beats per minute, is complemented by chopped-up samples of New York-based, Japanese producer and vocalist Rei Brown. Who himself experiments within the boundaries of indie pop, alternative electronic and lo-fi R&B sounds, Brown’s vocal adds all of these flavours into the sonic stew that Feiertag has concocted. The producer plays around with the pitch of Brown’s soulful chorus, adding tension and a certain anxiousness to the sultry vocals and harmonious bells and keys that run throughout.

Joris creates new challenges for himself by finding that place where his music can flourish, this time sampling an artist outside of his immediate musical sphere. His seemingly endless search to shine a light on new and exciting talent, as well as his tireless work to discover the old and reinvent the new will surely see him break new ground and gain new followers for years to come.

Listen to ‘DEKY’ HERE

Between-worlds of ancestral and contemporary existence

Mar 7, 2024 | Interviews, Art

In an Afrofuturist context, one of things I find most fascinating is its ability to take the linearity of time – in the western sense – of past, present and future; and rather expresses ‘time’ as this intersecting, co-current phenomenon, in which everything is always being made a-new. Manyaku Mashilo is an artist (though not specifically of the Afrofuturist school) whose work embodies this with incredible precision. Manyaku’s work is an examination of self and relationality; embedded with the cognisance and celebration of her ancestral lineage. Her visual expression consistently arrives at the conclusion that ‘herself’ is inseparable as an entity from those who came before her and those who will exist after her. 

Manyaku is an embodiment of time passed, present time  and time still to come; manifesting in the material space, as a potential of all these presences. As Manyaku states in our conversation; “I am trying to find a visual language that can share this feeling I have of the hybridity that lives inside of me and between the complicated histories that I have – the ancestral and contemporary, the future and the present.”

For her recent solo-exhibition at Southern Guild, Manyaku showcased ‘An Order of Being’; which dealt exclusively with her internal experience of hybridization, as a collection of her reckonings with the richness of tradition – of indigeneity and religion, myth and meaning, time and space – and ultimately, the future. Incomprehensibly powerful figures adorned in red, depict Black women – of Manyaku’s memory and myth’ – as beings iterative of the future. Using technique and colour, this show stands as Manyaku’s most self-defining body of work yet; incredibly layered and deeply thoughtful.

Manyaku Mashilo Process, 2023, photographed by Hayden Phipps and Southern Guild

Manyaku Mashilo, 2023, photographed by Hayden Phipps and Southern Guild

Manyaku Mashilo Process, 2023, photographed by Hayden Phipps and Southern Guild

In our conversation, I ask Manyaku where her work as an artist originates, to which she explains that, “my background is in fashion design. My siblings and I all wanted to be artists, but our dad was always trying to push us towards creative pathways that were less risky. A lot of the women in my family are seamstresses – so the world of textile and clothing came very naturally. At fashion school, we had subjects like art history and fashion illustration; and these drew me in. The fashion world wasn’t very inclusive at that time and I wanted to find a place in an industry where I could be uncompromising myself.” It was the subject of art history that first initiated Manyaku’s curiosity for mean-making as the direction of her pull toward creative expression, saying that “art history taught me an understanding of form and how I could build this world of my own, through the lens of critical and cultural theory, but as a creative expression. I dropped out and then worked at a gallery. The gallery was my university – it was an incredible education, especially artist liaison, and I learned from them how to explore mediums.”

For Manyaku, revisiting historical and ancestral narratives through her contemporary experience, was a solution to the lack of representation that has sought to repress and oppress Black people, specifically in the context of creative disciplines. As she says, “I started with sketching and I was initially interested in portraiture. I hadn’t seen myself or my friends reflected much in either art or fashion. So, my creative beginning starts at a place where I didn’t see myself – and so I had to purge and reckon with that.”

Manyaku’s work is cosmic-building, and she has referred to her work as an ‘act of cherishing lineage’ – I ask Manyaku, how in the process of examining herself and identity, it has led to expand across space and time to include her lineage – physically, ancestrally and as a lineage of ideas and preservations? To which she says, “I just knew that in whatever I did, I could not speak of myself without referring to my grandparents and the knowledge that they have passed onto me. While I was putting together my solo exhibition, I had this recurring memory playing in my head. I’m from Limpopo and my family is Christian, but the church we are a part of, practice through traditional means,” and that “our indigenous knowledge systems are involved in our interpretation of Christianity. There is this duality involved in my lived experience – and the memory I have is of these three framed images on my grandmother’s wall. One of my great-grandfather’s portraits, then of her and her husband in their church uniform, and then in between them was a knock-off of The Last Supper. I realised these images are the perfect juxtaposition of what my life is like; it is a blend of acknowledging my ancestors and their way of being.”

When Manyaku’s grandfather passed away, the last original hut that he was raised in burnt down. From the ashes, the only thing that survived was a tin of her great-grandfather’s herbal medicines, and Manyaku reflects that “there is always this presence of ancestry of lineage. The way that I understand myself and the way that I move forward is understanding that they are always with me. We believe that you have to look into the past, to look into the future. It is very important to me that my work reflects my contemporary presence and reality, alongside the presence of ancestry.” Beyond all material epitaphs left behind by her ancestors; it was the herbal medicine that survived the fire. I am sure a more literal metaphor for the sanctity of indigenous knowledge and the work of honouring it, could be offered; such is the wisdom of Spirit.

In an ‘Order of Being’, Manyaku’s figurations are Black women, exalted in what reads as a cosmic, liminal space; suspended over forms (mountains, among the stars?) – and one of the distinctive features of Manyaku’s mixed-media approach was the incorporation of red ochre; woven throughout the works, most evident in the skin tone of the figures. On why ochre, Manyaku notes that “I am really interested in the use of ochre; the way women put it on their face. It reminds me of my old pictures of my grandmother in the fields with her friends, with ochre on their face, or how they used ochre to seal the house. They way they used the natural things around them in this multipurpose way in daily life. My connection to it is very different, to even source this ochre was ridiculous! I didn’t want to harvest some from Limpopo and bring it here. Rather, I had a small jar that I needed to use very sparingly which I applied with my paint, especially for the faces. It created a brand new skintone that revealed itself throughout the process. The graininess and texture, the colour that it brought – it became integral to the body of the work.”

In the urbanised and globalised world of today, many are required to leave their home in search of their purpose. Somehow, this is a modern rite of passage; which Manyaku acknowledged in through the use of elemental ochre as an imprint of the land, “moving to Cape Town showed me how important land and belonging was to me. I grew up on my grandmother’s land that she owned – which not everyone has the privilege of experiencing. I haven’t been to Limpopo in a while and the longer I live in Cape Town, the more I have the sense that ‘this isn’t home’. It’s more that – okay, you’re here for work – this is temporary. Being a contemporary means that we sometimes have to be dislocated in that way, from our family’s land or home. So, using the ochre was part of acknowledging this.”

The oxidised, mineral rich composition of ochre is one of the most striking features of the planet’s array of pigments. It is often cited that ochre is one of the first – if not the first – paint to be used, by our earliest ancestors, thousands of years ago. Ochre’s presence within indigenous knowledge systems is ancient and enduring – as Manyaku reflects, “ochre is used in a lot of rites of passages. When girls go through the initiation process, to come back into the world as a woman. We go to the mountain as a young girl and undergo different experiences – from speaking to elders and other tasks – and throughout that whole process of transition, we have to wear this red ochre the whole time. I like the idea of this armour that we put on to protect us and to signift to people that we are in this transitional space. It communicates to other people to not approach because of the spiritual sensitivity.” Manyaku’s focus on her indigenous lineage is central to her artistic practice; and it cuts many forms, “I love the intentionality behind the understanding that we re-emerge as new beings and that we have these customs to facilitate and protect us throughout this, [they] are so thoughtful and specific. The colour red has become a key part of my work, and it symbolises the generosity of the knowledge systems that we as African descendants on the continent hold.”

Manyaku Mashilo ‘Being Black’ & ‘How about a New way to Pray’, 2023, photographed by Hayden Phipps and Southern Guild

Manyaku Mashilo ‘An Order of Being’ 2023, photographed by Hayden Phipps and Southern Guild

What has Manyaku’s show beckoned her with, that she wishes to share with others? Manyaku notes that “we need to understand that we are the land. We are part of the ecosystem and we need to treat it in a very sacred way. There is this relationship with the land, body, self belonging and knowledge systems that I think I will always explore in different ways. A lot of my work is spontaneous but I do feel these are threads that I will keep following, with the guidance that I am given.” 

The futuristic imaginings of Manyaku’s works are an invitation to viewers to interpret their own ideas of progressing and moving forward. As an artist, her work stands beyond this world – though it draws on all Mankyaku has come to understand about life. The rich tapestry of lineage and culture will keep Manyaku nourished; it does for us. As she says, “I want people to be able to imagine what the place beyond now looks like. What does it mean for you to arrive? I want my work to ask people that question, of the future. You know, maybe we do arrive? Right now, the journey of the self is endless.”

Written by: Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Dr Esther Mahlangu’s honorary Retrospective and her latest collaboration with BMW

Mar 6, 2024 | News, Art

Few artists are as distinctly etched into South African consciousness as that of Dr Esther Mahlangu –  to call her ‘iconic’, is an understatement. As an artist and global leader in the Ndebele artistic tradition, Dr Esther Mahlangu’s style is geometric, bold and nuanced – and signature to her process, is that she has applied her style to all manner of contemporary contexts. Most notably, is the BMW 525i as part of BMW’s ‘Art Car’ Series in 1991. Dr Mahlangu became the first woman in history to participate in the legendary series, as well as the first African artist, and for over three decades, the emblematic car has travelled across the globe from Italy, to China, New York and more.

Now, the original car has returned home and is on show as part of a broad and deep exhibition titled ‘Then I Knew I Was Good at Painting”: Esther Mahlangu. A Retrospective.’, curated by Nontobeko Ntombela, who noted “Mahlangu’s journey is a testament to passion, innovation, and resilience. The retrospective pays homage to Esther Mahlangu’s unique approach to art, which intersects African cultures with modernity and the contemporary. The exhibition celebrates Mahlangu’s voice, agency, and pioneering spirit, symbolising her self-enunciation, self-determination and creativity.”

‘Then I Knew I was Good at Painting, Esther Mahlangu, A Retrospective’, now at the Iziko South African National Gallery, via @esthermahlanguart IG

Dr Esther Mahlangu at the opening of her retrospective, curated by Nontobeko Ntombela, via @esthermahlanguart IG

This is in addition to the unveiling ofDr Mahlangu’s latest collaboration with BMW: ‘the i5 Flow Ntoskana’, which was unveiled at the Frieze Art Fair in Los Angeles. As described by Car Magazine, the car is a technological feat; “the name is derived from the famed artist’s son and features BMW’s colour-change technology and 1 349 sections of E-Ink film that allow portions of the bright geometric artwork to be electronically animated. The E-Ink film, in tandem with BMW’s colour-change technology, allows the structure and arrangement of the colour particles to be changed by applying an electric voltage, effectively allowing for the patterns and colours of Dr Mahlangu’s artwork to feature constantly changing compositions.”

The celebration charts the life and successes of one of the continent’s most important artists, and one of history’s most notable creative forces. The show is on in Cape Town after which it began its global tour, stopping first at the Wits Art Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa, and then on to the United States in 2026.

The Retrospective is now showing at Iziko Museums of South Africa in Cape Town until August 11, 2024.

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Naledi Holtman’s Dual Sonic Dialogue as raresoftware and Gonubie

Mar 5, 2024 | Interviews, Music

It is rare to meet someone with such a tacit understanding of their own possibilities; even more rare, to meet someone who is grasping the many threads of reality, and weaving them with stunning effect. The kind of effortlessness (and dedication) Naledi Holtman expresses is why, when thinking of how to describe her, I arrive at: sonic alchemist. I say this with no shred of verbosity (I promise); simply put, there is a quality to the way Naledia sees and arranges her world and work that is scientific, but in a pre-enlightenment sense. Alchemy is the ancestor to science – and Naledi Holtman’s work needed a more abiding term – something more ‘medicinal’. So, sonic alchemist, it is; in addition to being an interdisciplinary artist and landscape architecture graduate. 

Naledi is known as two distinct artistic forces; raresoftware and Gonubie. The former is her electronic DJ moniker, and the site for the grittiest, techno-laced aspect of her musical discipline. Gonubie, a reference to the river and area in the Eastern Cape where her mother was raised, is the ambient, interdisciplinary aspect that is foraging sounds out of a deep, guttural inquiry into spatial awareness – how sound and space, land and memory – are encoded in everything that we do, as human beings. Naledi’s mind operates with intense precision and the result is beyond verbiage. We will get into that later.

ICFTJ – April 2023

Gonubie – Listening Party, courtesy of Naledi Holtman

Levi’s – May 2023

I always preface my conversations with a ‘back to the beginning’; it’s a root question that never gets old. On her background, as it relates to her creative expression, Naledi explains that “I grew up in quite a musical family. My parents were passionate about 70s music – particularly soul. My brother is eleven years older than me and when I was growing up, he was DJing. DJs were still using packs of CDs – maybe a bit of vinyl – and I was very curious about what he was doing. I loved the materiality of the CD and the packs that were collected. He would pick me up from school and share some of the electronic music that he was into, so that was my introduction.” Few kids ever get to cut their teeth so directly with the guidance of an older sibling’s craft- and Naledi notes that those school pick-ups were foundational, “it was really when my brother gave me his laptop that my process began. It came with his collection of music, his production and DJ software, too. I started exploring it on my own. It sparked my own research into music and mixing. This was the rise of EDM and I began to be really inspired by what a DJ can do. I knew that one day, I wanted to play to an audience and understand, firsthand, that synergy from a crowd.”

Naledi’s practice was forged at 17, in a way that is exceedingly iconic. In Memory Of Corner Store (if you know, you know), Naledi references her first tutelage, “In 2017, Corner Store hosted a workshop for young creatives in Cape Town. It was photography, fashion and electronic musicians. I was super excited to be accepted. We got the opportunity to learn from Queezy, Angel-Ho and Ra The Bored – it was incredible. Looking back, it was such a crazy moment. The group of us who participated went onto form a solid group, since 2017 we have thrown parties together – and my first set ever originated from that experience.”

Human beings are complex and I often wonder how it is that people find the focus to hone in on a single aspect of themselves. In 2022, after some years playing and performing as raresoftware; Naledi was drawn back to her classically trained roots, in order to build an album with a similar kind of composition process ‘akin to painting’ – the result? ‘Signals At Both Ears’, an immersive, deeply technical and poetic debut album, under the moniker ‘Gonubie’. I ask Naledi why she chose to establish two different threads of expression, to which she explains that “starting out, I have had this really deep interest in dance music – but I also have been classically trained as a flautist. Raresoftware was born to express the electronic, EDM, techno aspect of who I am. Gonubie, on the other hand, was born out of my show on Hamshack Radio – where I got to share more of my different sonic interests and genres. I knew I wanted to make something from scratch, and I had no idea what it would be. What ended up being organically expressed was this experimental, ambient, fourth world collection of music. The desire to make dance music still exists, but Raresoftware and Gonubie are two functions of who I am as a whole, and they exist as an expression of a natural accumulation that has taken place.”

Corner Store DJ Workshop, 2017, courtesy of Naledi Holtman

Hamshack Radio, 2022, courtesy of Naledi Holtman

Naledi’s understanding of sound is informed by space, and music a deeply cerebral site of inquiry for her. Regarding the intangibility of sound and the very ‘real’ experience of being rooted in space or land – Naledi’s background as in landscape architecture has proven itself as a tool for her to two reconcile this intrinsic awareness that she has felt – that sound and space are forces locked in a dance, subtle though it seems. Naledia explains, “I was taught to see compositions and music in quite a spatial way. The role of the melody or the key – invites a certain colour or change in the feeling of a composition. Playing in ensembles or in groups, was always imbued with that lens of seeing which instruments play which roles. I studied fine art and I wanted to share that interest in sound not as something only symbolic – or something that carries memory – but actually think about how to share this way of seeing as something that is more intangible. Sound is more than just the ear perceiving physical vibration. This was my research area in third and fourth year.” and that “in fourth year, I went on to study landscape architecture. I wanted to go more deeply into learning the mechanisms of a spatial discipline. That was in 2022 which was also the year that I made the album; so sound and land became these two different tools or languages that are not in opposition. It’s one of the most fun parts of being an artist and musician – to dissolve those boundaries.”

I ask Naledi, why land and landscape architecture? How is this subject indistinguishable for her as an artist and musician? “I have always been very curious about the ideas of home. Growing up, home has been very much a sonic thing. So, that brings us to the question of place and space? If memory is so transient and intangible, then how is it reflected in space? Landscape architecture and land is where I find those answers – even something as simple as how familiarity welcomes and excludes people, such as the colours or materials of their neighbourhood.” The cornerstone of praxis for Naledi’s aspiration in architecture are deeply ecologically; where collaboration and community collide, for multi-species living and planetary health, starting at the local level. As we are speaking, I can’t help but imagine that all of this focus arose for Naledi from her earliest fascination with DJing and sound; that for her, encoded within sound has been the drive to curiously explore the world; “landscape architecture really encourages the knowledge of systems – it requires an ecological understanding that is often removed from urban settings. It’s been incredible to gain an understanding of things like – oh, well I actually do subconsciously know when it might be raining, because these particular things are happening within my space? There are beautiful particularities of our Cape Tonian natural systems and I think people are yearning for a reconnection to our natural biome, which is underpinned by this longing to be reconnected to home.”

99 Loop, Messages from wind, installation view, courtesy of Naledi Holtman 

99 Loop, 12 Hours of Breathing, installation view, courtesy of Naledi Holtman

I wondered, before our conversation, if Naledi’s ‘raresoftware’ and ‘Gonubie’ were polarities – the dark and the light. I understand now, it’s less of a binary opposition or balancing-act – but rather, her creative expressions are two directions, somehow magnetised together. On whether this attraction, between her two expressions, might collide – Naledi says that “I think that there might be a kind of ‘speaking to one another’. Having two different monikers really does help in honing in on a genre or focus. For now, that might remain quite distinguishable from one another – but I can foresee there being an intersection between the two, a feeding of one another. Maybe in one album for Gonubie, there’s a dance album? I’m not sure.”

So, if sound is Naledi’s medicine, then what is its single, most powerful quality? She says, “Sound is a universal language. It transcends a verbal language – which requires subjectivity – but with sound, there is an inherent commonality, even if perceived in different ways.” We decide that sound is the ‘thing before a word is born’ – it is older, primordial and less loaded with final meaning. In a world where AI and technology are interceding with the human experience, Naledi reminds of the inherent character at the root of creative expression; her ‘digital visions’ are clear and precise – and unending in its fascination.  To any aspiring musicians or artists reading this, Naledi offers sage advice – “deeply believe in yourself and find somebody – even if it’s just one person – who inspires you. Don’t forget the power of creating something just for yourself and hold the time you spend with yourself, fully. From that strong foundation – of knowing your passion and where it comes from – go out into the world and be curious, explore and see other people doing their thing. Embrace what it looks like to see inspired action happening in other people.”

Written by: Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Sarah Téibo releases latest track ‘All Clear’ after three-year hiatus

Mar 1, 2024 | New Release, Music

After an almost three-year hiatus since her last studio album ‘Restored’ released in 2021, Sarah Téibo returns with new music – ‘All Clear’.

‘All Clear’, an energetic pseudo-pop track, is the first single from Sarah Téibo’s upcoming EP – ‘Human Like Me’. Written just three weeks after major surgery following her Thyroid Cancer diagnosis, this uptempo inspirational song with its catchy hook and unforgettable melody captures that feeling of triumph that comes from the very first line – ‘it’s gonna be ok!’

Sarah joins forces co-writing this song with prolific songwriter Nick Herbs and producer Fez, who also lends his production genius to the entire EP.

“Everything really came to a head on the 17th of April 2023 when I received what is probably the most dreaded news anyone could ever be handed – ‘you have thyroid cancer’. I went down a real mental spiral, as I struggled to accept the diagnosis.” Sarah recounts on a recent blog post where she talks about her experience and journey to recovery at length.

Listen to ‘‘All Clear’ HERE

Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: @sarahteibomusic
X (Formerly Twitter): @sarahteibomusic

Press release courtesy of Sheila Afari PR

Amapiano Rising Duo Reed & Stixx release their latest single ‘Uhuru’

Mar 1, 2024 | New Release, Music

Rising duo of singer, songwriter & producer Reed & producer & DJ Stixx release their joint single Uhuru. The track is an affirmation for the love of one’s life, assuring them that they can never be able to love someone else the same way they love that love of their life. On the song, the pair sampled the original melody from Letta Mbulu’s Not Yet Uhuru with the intention to shine light on artists that pioneered the South African Music scene.
Lethabo Samukele Mhlanga-Mofokeng popularly known as Reed is a music fanatic who was born into a musical family. His journey began at the age of 10 when it was discovered that he is able to find his way around a piano and produce melodies that make sense.
Samuel Seloane, popularly known as Stixx, is an Amapiano producer who hails from Kwa-Thema and Selcourt in the East Rand. Born in 2003 into a family of singers and instrumentalists, Stixx has always been surrounded by music. Young Samuel first picked up drumsticks at the tender age of two and has never looked back.

Listen to Uhuru HERE

Connect with Stixx
Facebook: Stixx ZA
X (Formerly Twitter): @stixx_za
TikTok: @s.tixxza

Connect with Reed
Instagram: @samreedofficial
X (Formerly Twitter):@samreedofficial

Press release courtesy of Sheila Afari PR

Jabulile Majola & Yoav release new single ‘Nyoni Yami’

Mar 1, 2024 | New Release, Music

Yoav and Jabulile Majola’s serendipitous musical collaboration defies expectations, bridging worlds and uniting their shared journey of discovery, vulnerability, and healing.

Yoav, widely known for his Indie Folk sound, was raised in a home versed in Classical music and Opera. Rebelling against his formal musical upbringing, Yoav picked up the guitar in secret, developing a unique style of electronica-esque writing that has captured audiences worldwide. Jabulile, on the other hand, is fresh to the scene. Raised in a Children’s Home by a Christian couple in Greytown, Kwazulu Natal, he discovered a passion for music, utilising it to share stories via the Church.

Their paths crossed through a mutual friend, leading them to embark on a writing session. Within a day, the duo had recorded the initial idea for “Stranger” and after the positive responses they received from friends, they agreed to keep collaborating until eventually the album UNYAZI emerged. ‘Nyoni Yami’ (My Bird) is a Zulu-Folk song taken off of Jabulile Majola & Yoav’s collaborative album UNYAZI due in  2024.

Nyoni Yami is written as a modern day parable. The song narrates the story of a Blue Swallow, orphaned and rejected by the world around it. The bird navigates life’s challenges and confronts forces attempting to crush its spirit and destroy its soul. As the bird learns to adapt, surviving the turbulence of the world, it discovers the power of its song. Through its song, the swallow chooses to give its light, its beauty and its healing to the very world that has tried so hard to destroy it.

About the Upcoming Album:
Their upcoming album, UNYAZI (which refers to the moment of brief luminescence that fills the sky after a flash of lightning) is an invitation to delve into the intimate and transformative world that Yoav and Jabulile have crafted together. The album represents a tapestry of emotions, shaped by the personal bereavement each experienced during the recording process, while also speaking more generally to the collective grief we’ve all experienced over the last few years.

As Yoav explains, “throughout the process of writing this record, it felt like we were going through a collective grief. Our intention was to create something healing and nourishing, and in the process, we experienced healing ourselves.” UNYAZI becomes a vessel through which their emotional journey and creative bond is transmitted to listeners, offering solace, comfort, and a sense of shared humanity. Through their shared journey as strangers turned collaborators, they have created something truly extraordinary. As they embark on this new chapter together, they invite you to join them.

The album is due for release in the South African winter of 2024.

Listen to ‘Nyoni Yam’ HERE

Connect with Jabulile Majola and Yoav
Website: https://unyazi.co/
Instagram: @unyazimusic
Instagram: @Yoavmusic
Instagram: @uJabulilemajola

Press release courtesy of Sheila Afari PR

Chapter 24 | The Durability of Denim in South African Fashion

Feb 29, 2024 | Fashion, Interlude

Few fabrics have traced an ascent from the uniform of the working class, to stratospheric designer-status, as denim has; while remaining true to its innately rebellious and democratic function. Jeans, the primary form of a denim fabric in fashion, is manifest in a myriad of styles. Up until recently, skinny jeans had us in chokehold. Now, we err more on the side of flared jeans, boyfriend jeans, bootcut, low-rise and so on. Then, there is the ubiquity of denim across a variety of silhouettes and as we will see, the unique ability of denim as an upcycling material is intrinsic to some of South Africa’s most denim-minded designers and fashion thinkers. 

Denim’s history can be traced back to the 17th century in Nîmes, France, where a sturdy cotton fabric with a twill weave was first developed. Originally it was known as ‘serge de Nîmes’ and the fabric gained popularity for its durability and versatility. With the onset of the industrial revolution and the growth of a labour work force, this fabric was caught onto by Levi Strauss, a Bavarian immigrant in the United States during the 19th century who, in collaboration with tailor Jacob Davis, created robust work pants for miners. Featuring copper rivets at stress points, these workwear pants became the prototype for what we now know as blue jeans and Levi’s as a brand – well, the rest is literally history. 

South Africa has never been a major player in the production of denim. It is an extremely labour-intensive textile to manufacture, with the weaving process demanding precision, as each thread is interlaced to form the characteristic twill pattern. Indigo dyeing is a meticulous task where each thread undergoes multiple dips for the desired colour depth, even when produced on an industrial scale, it requires an immense amount of water and chemicals. Additionally, crafting selvedge edges – the classic, tightly woven bands along the fabric’s edge – the process needs meticulous attention to prevent fraying. It is for these reasons that denim is so durable yet difficult to produce – and why, in the rising movement of sustainable and regenerative-led practices in fashion, denim has become a symbol of longevity. Your denim should last a lifetime – just ask the oldest known pair of jeans discovered last year, dating to 1837 and attributed to Levi’s as the earliest iteration of their workwear pants still in existence.

When thinking about this edition of Interlude (and the column’s two year birthday), denim in the South African context became my point of interest. When a brand decides to use denim (either entirely or woven into their collections), it requires immediate recognition; it conveys to me that this brand is intending to create keepsakes for our fashion landscape, and that the perennial attitude and edge involved in the tacticility of denim, is mirrored in our cultural, sartorial context. South Africans are thrifty and dynamic in our very nature; our love for denim reflects this. Listed below are South African brands and designers for whom denim is synonymous to their work; as always, this is by no means exhaustive – but it is essential.

XZAVIER ZULU 

There are few designers and thinkers for whom a single fabric is so sacred. For Xzavier Zulu, denim has been central to his practice; and indeed, his work is an artistic practice. Xzavier’s non-traditional approach to design has seen him pave the way as a vanguard for upcycling. His relationship to denim was crystallised through  ‘EVERYTHING IS A SAMPLE’, a collection that he developed in partnership with Levi’s® South Africa. In his conversation with Denim Dudes for the collection’s launch, Xzavier noted that “the collection expresses my love of denim and utilitarian wear by reconstructing pieces from the Levi’s® in-line catalogue as well as thrifted pieces throughout my years. True to my co-operative design ethos, the collection features reimagined crew neck t-shirts, crew neck sweaters, kimonos, tactical vests, culottes shorts, double-breasted suits, durags, berets, face masks and tote bags. The title of the collection is as honest as the pieces themselves and speaks to my wanting to disarm one’s expectation of a finished product but rather appreciating the idea and process of each garment.”

In asking Xzavier the simple question of – why denim? He noted to me that, “denim has continually been the fabric of choice throughout my denim journey as it’s symbolised ‘Access’ – especially into the fashion industry and ever-developing global conversation on sustainabilities place in fashion, as well as ‘Storytelling’ – every thread of fabrication has carried and shared my creative process throughout the years, and given me the opportunity to collaborate with other storytellers to share and amplify each other’s voices.” and that “as a fabric I’ve sourced through mainly thrifting, I hope for those that have followed my journey and will only come to know of it, start TODAY on their own journey – creative or otherwise, wherever it may lead.”

For Xzavier, using denim as a medium for upcycling is a resistance to the status quo of fashion and its commodification of expression, saying that “I think more than anything the ever-developing global conversation on sustainabilities place in fashion is and should be ongoing, reflecting the times, the people it affects and the people who can aid most in its implementation are corporates/brands/organisations and so for the individual who looks to contribute to the conversation through an artistic lens, I would urge those within the fashion industry and beyond to support these creators.” By this, Xzavier calls for understanding that the creator of originality in design and fashion, are the ones we need to continually reference. I feel this way about Xzavier’s work and it is why his words are seminal for my understanding of the power and utility of denim. Lastly, Xzavier notes that, “the pessimist in me does want it to be clear that upcycling is not a commercial practice. It’s a humanitarian one – born from creativity. It’s not to be measured in engagement, posts, like, ROI, etc. it’s to primarily be measured in purposeful and positive intent, the carried message through storytelling as well as the shared commitment by a grown community to walk this journey of progress.”

‘EVERYTHING IS A SAMPLE’ collection, in partnership with Levi’s® South Africa, by Xzavier Zulu

AFROGRUNGE

Anita Hlazo’s brand AFROGRUNGE is her love letter to subculture and counterculture through the experience of Black and People of Colour – as the brand’s epitaphs puts it, ‘creating culture through streetstyle by celebrating POC who venture into aesthetics outside what is generally believed to be the correct ones’. Last year, Anita used denim as a focus for a project in collaboration with Redbat. From denim waistbands slashed and stacked into a new mini skirt, to cropped jackets with frayed edges – Anita is South Africa’s punk-darling of denim. We continue to take notes.

AFROGRUNGE and upcycled denim, photographed by Luxolo Witvoet and styled by Tandekile Mkize, via @afrogrunge IG

SIR ANTHONY JEANS CO. 

Anthony Kobane’s ‘Sir Anthony Jeans Co.’ is a tale of craftsmanship and denim, made manifest in his creative path. As a self-described ‘constructionist’, Anthony has used the rebelliousness of denim to advance understanding and potential of the township economy and how high-quality design is critical for building futures – read here for more on this aspect of Sir Anthony Jeans Co. written by Motshabi Hoane. As Anthony notes to me, “denim is our fabric of choice because denim throughout its lifespan it’s the only fabric that can adapt to a person’s character with time. As individuals, denim can express and reflect on your character.”

Sir Anthony Jeans Company, photographed by Andani Makhado

​AKJP

AKJP’s in-house label is always a study on the art of intention: ‘sustainably sourced and consciously curated’, their stonewashed, raw denim has seen a variety of iterations – whether as block set or as jeans – the fit is always minimal, clean and as they say (and I agree), ‘essential.’

AKJP’s ‘the Denim Jeans’ in heavyweight, raw denim, via akjpstudio.com

​TSHEPO JEANS

Tshepo Mohlahla is ensuring that TSHEPO Jeans ‘is taking its rightful place among the best denim brands in the world’. Tshepo’s label is the breakout star of South Africa’s denim story – with international success and a focus on ensuring denim is understood as a luxury, high-quality product. As Tshepo notes that manufacturing denim at scale and with integrity has been the heart of the label since its inception, saying that “due to the nature of our brand and the quality of our product, we decided to manufacture our jeans in our atelier based in the heart of Johannesburg in Lorentzville Victoria yards. Our tailors – we rather call them artisans – have been highly trained by the Amsterdam Jean School and are constantly training in our atelier to achieve the highest possible quality denim making in South Africa. However, with that said we manufacture some of our ready-to-wear jeans in Mauritius, a small island that is part of Africa and is a member of the SADC region which helps us to grow the African economy through trade from African-sourced cotton, and fabric manufacturing, jean making and to the hands of our amazing customers.”

TSHEPO Jeans, photographed by Bernard Brand

CULT OF ONE 

CULT OF ONE is a ‘one-man denim brand, born of obsession’. Specialising in denim focused products, the brand is based in Cape Town and is the result “of over ten years of experience in the South African fashion industry, the brand evolved from an after-hours passion project to a standalone identity. Built on the core value systems of accountability, craft and experience, every piece is designed and made to tell the story of its owner. Purist traditional methods meet obsessive craftsmanship.” CULT OF ONE’s commitment to workmanship is highly articulated throughout their offering; from hand-embossed leather patches, to detailed and illustrated inner-pocket patches – alongside its commitment to true denim – the brand is one of the strongest examples in South Africa of what it means to have focused mastery of a single subject matter, deriving nuances of excellence throughout the process.

CULT OF ONE Raw Denim Suit via @cultofdenim IG

CULT OF ONE workmanship and rivets, via @cultofdenim IG

iFUKU

At 44 Stanley in Joburg exists one of the coolest denim stores I have ever walked into – iFUKU. Owner Rodney Mudzengerere is a self-described ‘denim junkie and boot hunter’; and his curatorial abilities are legendary in Joburg’s creative scene. I am a sucker for brick-and-mortar, and iFUKU is a crowning jewel in the independent shop landscape of South Africa, offering a variety of vintage and new pieces.

IFUKU – Joburg’s best vintage denim store, via ifuku.co.za

FLOYD AVENUE 

Floyd Manotoana has always had denim at the forefront of his work. Debuting on the scene as the winner of SA Fashion Week Scouting Menswear in 2016, Floyd’s label ‘Floyd Avenue’ has shown locally and at Berlin Fashion Week and in Milan at The White Show. Floyd Avenue “We use cultural references to inspire androgynous pieces that rise above trends, impeccably tailored for unadulterated comfort and exquisite designs.”

‘In Funk We Trust’ by Floyd Avenue, via floydavenue.co

Written by: Holly Beaton
For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Kristi Vlok’s Love Affair With The Feminine Experience

Feb 28, 2024 | Interviews, Fashion

I am always interested in how creative people arrived at the confluence of their practice. In fashion, this is always particularly interesting, as invariably most people arrive in the industry with a completely different background. Well, at least the most intriguing – Vivienne Westwood was a school teacher, Virgil Abloh was an architect – Raf Simons was an industrial and furniture design graduate. As if pulled in by a sartorial orbit, I think it was i-D Magazine’s founder Terry Jones who once remarked that he ‘rarely ever hired graduate students from fashion schools’ because they had been taught too much about how to think regarding ‘fashion’ than – well, the breadth and depth of existence, and the inspiration that can be derived from all of life’s messy, strange crevices and crannies. So, it came as no surprise to me that one of South Africa’s most thoughtful and considered stylists, Kristi Vlok, is a former actress, life-long theatre kid and film school graduate. Ah – the storytelling does run deep; and it shows in Kristi’s work, along with her innately effervescent and curious nature.  

“I did theatre from the age of six to eighteen – so studying at AFDA was intended to be a transition from a tactical approach to a more technical one, particularly in film. I want to hone in on storytelling which is what I’ve always been most fascinated with, and it’s only later in my life that I’ve realised that I actually prefer storytelling from my own visual perspective, rather than being a character or tool for someone else’s vision. I think this has informed the way that I can use images to evoke emotion and storytelling. I love that the images I create don’t require a context in order for the feeling to be grasped.” Kristi explains, whose work as a stylist has spanned from Vogue Italia, to Boycott Magazine – Rimowa, Vice Magazine, The Wall Street Journal – Calvin Klein, and many more. On when the shift happened – from performer to curator – Kristi notes that “it’s actually funny how it happened. I was working as an actress and I was deeply unhappy – which is strange for me, because I’m a perpetually sunny optimist. I ended up going to Canada for six months and I worked as a barista for a friend who’d opened up a restaurant. It changed my perspective entirely – and it made me realise that my life is less about what I want, and rather about what I don’t want, especially what might dictate the course of my life.”

LE BOOK – BETINA DU TOIT

CHARRIOL. – CARL VAN DER LINDE
AFRAID OF MICE. – ANE STRYDOM

PERSONAL WORK – KEVIN CASTANHEIRA

I am a fate-believing kinda girl, and conversations like this one, with Kristi, truly reinforce my stance – that, what is for us, will always lead us towards it. Kristi shares that “I had been doing tests for agencies to just make some extra cash. It was only when a very good friend of mine – and very talented photographer – Betina du Toit, reached out to me and asked me to style a portrait. A couple months later I had work published in Vogue Italia, so it was a snowball effect, right time, right place.

The artistic direction involved across Kristi’s work relays a specific thread – which Krisit explains as “always feminine. My work is always feminine – across the spectrum of it, too” Fashion has historically made an effort of caricaturing women; as objects or as billboards for selling – reduced to seeking the scrutiny of the male gaze – Kristi’s practice is in intentional defiance of this. She remincises that, “femininity is so complex and one of my favourite moments, that embodies this principle for me, was for Thalia Strates. We shot on a farm up the west coast in scorching heat. We just had this vision of the model as a mother and the feeling of the leather and her energy – we had said in passing, ‘Ah, we wish we had a baby!’ and the owner of the farm, ran and asked one of the ladies who works on the farm to bring her baby; and she let us shoot her baba, in the model’s arms. It was this beautiful moment of motherhood – and the right time, the right place and intention.”

Kristi’s work embodies a kind of softness surrounded by light, colour and form; even within these variables, there is a nod the Feminine Principle – the creative force from where all life born, “light is very important to me – from how I shoot my own photography, to how I layout my apartment! I find a lot of inspiration in the mundane aspects of life – something as simple as a light flickering on the side of the road can become cinematic for me. I can definitely attribute that way of perceiving, to having studied film.” I ask Kristi then, what would she describe as her muse? “I love women! They are my muse. I think we are the most incredible, strong – phenomenal creatures. Especially older women; I feel we have so much to learn from them. There’s such a focus on youth and this “social media sameness prototype” and I think we have to return to embracing ageing – and how powerful it is to grow older. The older I get, the more inspired I become.”

ILDAR WAFIN – VEIKKO KAHKONEN

PERSONAL WORK – JONATHAN KOPE

ELISABETTA FRANCHI – RICARDO SIMAL

Kristi is the kind of creator whose emphasis is on style over trends is evident. Asking about how her process has informed one of her most magical moments – of arriving precisely at the point of a good idea that ended up better articulated than she had imagined – Kristi says that, “there’s so much magic that happens when you’re on set and the right model steps on – or an unexpected moment unfolds. A lot of my work has had those moments.” and that “one of the things I am most proud of is the project I did for Rethread, which we put together in like six hours. We shot it in lockdown and there were so many limitations – but we just happened to find the perfect faces. We decided to go for a punk influence – and the make-up was inspired by Vivienne Westwood’s friend, the late Pamela Rooke (known as Jordan) who had this amazing signature eye makeup, which was very sexual and abrasive, but still with a softness. The night before, I had no idea what props I wanted to use and I had the idea of the taxidermy. A very good friend of mine collects taxidermy – so it became a crocodile on a safety-pin leash with a diamante collar! We named the crocodile Debbie, after Debbie Harry.” The principles of a punk attitude are guiding stars for Kristi’s work – even in her most soft and tender work, Kristi uses notions of punk to resist any rigidity or sameness, particularly in how women are portrayed, and the how clothing can be used to tell the cerebral, complex nature of the feminine experience.

On the surprising nature of each project or shoot that Kristi is involved with, she relays how no outcome is ever what one might think – and that open-mindedness to the process is critical for continuing her work. Krisit shares that, “Kent Andreasen and I did an editorial for Boycott Magazine and I had the fortune to work with the PR for Louis Vutton, Kenzo and Saint Laurent. It was amazing but the LV look got stuck in customs – so we could only shoot it two weeks later, and then we just pulled it off. It was emotional for me because it was one of the last collections that Virgil Abloh designed for LV before he passed away, and I got to hold this garment in my hands. We got the shot in like twenty images and it ended up being the hero.”

BOYCOTT MAGAZINE & COEVAL MAGAZINE – KENT ANDREASEN

THE LAST MAGAZINE – KENT ANDREASEN

PINA & CLO – KENT ANDREASEN

For Kristi, self-producing work as a stylist and creative director remains her single most important balancing act. As she notes, “I think it’s very important for us to take charge of our own portfolios. Self-producing work is key and I definitely work the best without any constraints – so, I need to make sure that I am doing that in between briefs, budgets and client expectations.” With a decade behind her – Kristi’s insatiable vision still has miles ahead. Kristi makes mention of a potential clothing brand in the future – to which I respond with a resounding ‘YES!’ – and then, the continued embrace of her love affair with life and creative expression – too many more visual stories that nourish us, Kristi.

Written by: Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

BETWEEN FRIENDS ANNOUNCE THEIR FIRST EVENT, HEADLINED BY AMAPIANO GIANT, KABZA DE SMALL.

Feb 27, 2024 | News, Music

As a CEC reader, you’re no stranger to SA’s beloved cult brand, Broke. As an extension of the brand, Broke Agency is the medium through which we see some of their extraordinary events come to life. On 26 February 2024, the Broke family announced the headliner for their new events series, Between Friends, in collaboration with Klipdrift.

Kabza De Small, South Africa’s king of Amapiano will be headlining their first event, taking place on 16 March at The Terrace in Salt River, Cape Town. The act is supported by an array of local legends including International Pantsula, Leighton Moody and Workaholics with more supporting artists to be announced soon. 

Between Friends marries industry giants and emerging artists to curate unforgettable sonic experiences, available both live and through exclusive online streams, which will be released on their respective social media channels closer to the time. 

This event is the first in a series of at least four; which we will see unfold in numerous locations throughout the year and if this first announcement is  anything to go by, we can’t wait to see what lies ahead. 

Tickets are extremely limited and can be purchased HERE 

Don’t miss out!

FOLLOW BETWEEN FRIENDS

WATCH KABZA DE SMALL & MTHUNZI FEAT MAWHOO  “AMAZWE”

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za