Legendary Brazilian skateboarder, Leticia Bufoni, hit the streets in South Africa This Year

Sep 20, 2023 | News, Community

Red Bull athletes Leticia Bufoni and Aldana Bertran came to Mzansi to ride with the local female skaters and see what the country has to offer.

Women’s skateboarding is a sport that has been gaining more attention and recognition around the world in recent years and South Africa is no exception. While we may not yet have the same level of development and resources as other skateboarding scenes in America and Europe, the growth and potential of women’s skateboarding in South Africa is steadily on the rise.

While Bufoni is still a relatively young skater, only born in 1993, she’s an experienced, highly decorated athlete who has the typical swagger of someone who knows what they want. She understands her role in women’s skateboarding across the world and is in touch with how she can aid growth. This was at the centre of her tour of South Africa.

Unforgettable moments with the legendary Leticia Bufoni! Red Bull skater extraordinaire strikes a pose with fans and fellow skaters during her epic visit to South Africa.

“I see many girls who are really good at skateboarding and have no support,” Bufoni commented. “There are so few events. Visibility is what’s lacking because the girls are really good. There’s no lack of quality.”

During the tour, they spent a lot of time travelling and sessioning with locals Melissa Williams and Ntokozo “Choccy” Mono, among others. “The state of women’s skateboarding in South Africa has grown so much in the past few years because I can just leave my house and run into a girl skating. When I started skating, that was rare,” Choccy says, explaining that Leticia’s tour did a lot for the mainstream visibility of the sport. 

Watch the full documentary of the tour at Leticia Pushes Mzansi

Press release courtesy of Flume

Feature Image of Skateboarding sensation and Red Bull athlete, Leticia Bufoni, brings joy to South African fans as she signs skateboards during her thrilling visit to Johannesburg and Cape Town.

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

Chioma Nnadi to take over from Edward Enninful at British Vogue

Sep 19, 2023 | News, Fashion

Many months of speculation later and we finally know who will take over Edward Enninful as the head of British Vogue. Fashion journalist Chioma Nnadi has been appointed by publisher Condé Nast to fulfill this role; yet, with a title change from ‘Editor in Chief’ to ‘Head of Editorial Content’. This title change, as explained by The Guardian, “is not insignificant. Nnadi said her focus will be on “digital storytelling” and keeping Vogue “interactive” with readers – but it is also part of a shift that has seen the starry editors of Vogue’s European editions, who once filled the front rows, replaced by global heads after Condé Nast’s 2020 company-wide restructuring.’’ It seems that this is the next step in fashion publishing’s preparation to usher in a new era in which digital truly does reign and editors or ‘HODs’ are required to have a capacity to seamlessly navigate both arenas. Having mastered the digital realm running Vogue.com, it will be interesting to see how Chioma can converge this with her print-editorial responsibilities ahead.

Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi Instagram @nnadibynature

A leading force in contemporary fashion journalism, Chioma is also an alumni of Vogue, having moved to New York in 2010 to work with Anna Wintour at the US faction of the publishing behemoth. Chioma will be leaving her already powerful role as running the US website and being one of the publication’s most senior writers. With a multiplicity of skills in fashion and seemingly strong relationship with Anna (the rift between Edward and Anna has been speculated as the nail in the coffin for his exit), this resolution seems to be a profound one. Least not as Chioma Nnadi will be the first Black woman to head British Vogue and through the example of her own work in the past, will certainly continue to forge on with Edward’s historical establishing of inclusivity, diversity and cultural authenticity as vital codes for British Vogue. This is incredibly exciting and suggests that Conde Nast, Vogue’s parent company, understands their responsibility and position within fashion, culture and publishing.

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

Southern Guild announces Los Angeles flagship—the first from South Africa to open a permanent gallery in the U.S.

Sep 19, 2023 | News, Art

Southern Guild, the pioneering South African contemporary art and design gallery, is pleased to announce its expansion to Los Angeles, California in February 2024. Having propelled functional art and collectible design on the African continent, Southern Guild will now be the first in South Africa to open a permanent gallery space in the U.S. 

Located on Western Avenue in a historic 1920s building in Melrose Hill, the 5,000 sqft gallery is designed by Evan Raabe Architecture Studio (ERĀS), a Los Angeles-based firm known for designing the Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles flagship and Christie’s Beverly Hills, among others. Adjoining a courtyard and restaurant, the gallery’s locale will serve as a destination for the public to enjoy a robust cultural experience. Featuring three large-scale exhibition spaces, as well as meeting and viewing rooms, its transformed interior will further provide a flexible setting in which to showcase their expansive roster of artists from South Africa, Benin, Congo, Iran, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, and beyond.

Co-founder Trevyn McGowan comments: “Over the past 16 years Southern Guild has grown tremendously, from a single gallery in Cape Town and a small roster of artists to include numerous exhibition spaces, artists studios, a residency programme, and regular participation in art fairs around the world, but our expansion to the United States is truly a milestone. We are thrilled to broaden our reach by providing a permanent platform to showcase our artists’ unparalleled work in the United States.” 

Founded in 2008, Southern Guild’s rigorous curatorial programme foregrounds unprecedented modes of making, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and the ingenuity of the human hand. With a 5,000 sqft gallery at the V&A Waterfront and an 8,000 sqft office and studio space in an adjacent precinct, Southern Guild works closely with artists on artwork production and exhibition-making to foster their careers and articulate their voice to an international audience. In the true spirit of a guild, the gallery is rooted in the principles of community and collaboration, and grew out of a desire to provoke new work, facilitate alliances between differing disciplines, and articulate what it means to be human.

Adds co-founder Julian McGowan: “While many of our artists are self-taught, they are also masters of their chosen discipline, having honed their skills for decades if not generations. Craft and design are rooted in Africa’s cultural fabric, as the site of the very first toolmakers and artisans, the continent has a unique artistic legacy that exists at the intersection of those roots and a global artistic discourse. The art coming out of the region is thus unlike anything else and these are the pioneering creative voices we seek to champion.”

The dual inaugural exhibitions in Los Angeles will include Mother Tongues, which celebrates standout artists from the gallery’s roster, and a solo exhibition of monumental ceramic sculpture by Zizipho Poswa. Highlighting the socially embedded role of African art throughout history and the marriage of personal narrative with Africa’s current geo-political, economic, cultural and ecological context, Mother Tongues features artists such as Zanele Muholi, Andile Dyalvane, Porky Hefer, Manyaku Mashilo, Madoda Fani, Kamyar Bineshtarigh and Oluseye, amongst others. Accompanying this group presentation, Zizipho Poswa’s solo exhibition will feature her most ambitious body of work to date, a series of sculptures reaching heights of over 8 feet tall, made during her recent summer-long residency at the Center for Contemporary Ceramics at California State University in Long Beach (CSULB).

Julian & Trevyn McGowan, Portrait, 2023. Cr. Elizabeth Carababas & Southern Guild

Trevyn McGowan continues: “We were drawn to Los Angeles because its palpable vibrancy is similar to that of Cape Town and believe it will be perfectly suited to our particular brand of innovative art space. Our gallery model is a rather disruptive and progressive one and focuses on cultural preservation in all its forms, which in addition to rich craft traditions includes spirituality, ancestral knowledge, and ecology.” 

Ahead of Southern Guild’s expansion, the gallery will participate in The Armory Show in New York from September 8-10, where they will present a new large-scale bronze sculpture by Zizipho Poswa, alongside work by Kamyar Bineshtarigh, Manyaku Mashilo, and Oluseye. Rooted in a shift toward a new African vanguard where purpose and representation can be renegotiated with vital agency, the featured artists speak to alternate worlds as a means of shedding historic traumas and reimagining a healed, whole and more abundant self. In addition to their booth in the main fair, Zizipho Poswa will be featured in Armory Off-Site at the US Open. The artist will present a work from her Umthwalo series (meaning “load”), which pays tribute to Southern Africa’s rural women and the heavy burdens they balance on their heads, often walking long distances on foot.

ABOUT SOUTHERN GUILD
Founded in Cape Town in 2008 by Trevyn and Julian McGowan, Southern Guild represents contemporary artist practices from the African continent and diaspora. The gallery’s rigorous curatorial programme pivots on unprecedented modes of making, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and the ingenuity of the human hand. Cultivating new forms of expression that disrupt the hierarchies between functionality and fine art, the programme traces its roots to the utilitarian and socially embedded role that African art has played historically. Southern Guild is unique on the continent both for its hands-on involvement in facilitating production and its interest in the intersection of art and design. Rooted in the gallery’s ethos is a commitment to contributing to our deeper understanding of humanitarian, environmental and societal concerns with targeted projects, large-scale installations and immersive experiences. The artists explored personal narratives, cultural structures, and social change. 

Press release courtesy of Southern Guild

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

Cotton Fest Is Returning To Cape Town

Sep 18, 2023 | News, Music

Organisers of the highly anticipated entertainment and lifestyle experience today announced the return of Cotton Fest Cape Town, set to take place at the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday, 25th November 2023.

Back for the second edition in Cape Town later this year, Cotton Fest celebrates the new wave of talent through music, fashion and lifestyle. More than just a music festival, this multi-layered youth culture experience will once again include 2 concert stages, limited curated clothing and other  merchandise, a selection of food stalls and an interactive sports area.

Known for merging both established and upcoming South African talent, Cotton Fest also showcases the diversities in music while fusing the gaps within the different local current movements.  Cotton Fest Cape Town will feature some of South Africa’s finest talent performing over 2 stages.

THE FESTIVAL – The COTTON STAGE will feature headline artists from across the country while the second STAGE will feature the New Wave of young hip hop talent alongside some of the biggest names on the Amapiano and Hiphop scene right now.

MERCH STORE – Bringing together proudly SA brands, the merchandise area will showcase the best of what local creatives have to offer with unique pieces, limited branded fashion items and other sought after accessories. Festival goers will have a curated shopping experience as they cop merchandise at the Cotton Fest’s store.

FOOD COURT  – A variety of delectable food options and fully stocked bars will be positioned around the venue.

MORE: There’ll be photo booths and other exciting partner activations set up around the venue, as well as various chill areas to relax, recharge and reboot.

“Showcasing in Cape Town for the first time last December demonstrated the existence of the Cotton Fest movement which is alive and thriving in the city. Coming back bigger and better in 2023 was an obvious decision for the team” says co-founder Bianca Naidoo. “ The love and support in Cape Town was extremely humbling and the energy was exhilarating. We cannot wait for the experience later this year to further join forces with the Cape Town Cotton Fest family and build this united culture.”

 

Purchase your tickets for Cotton Fest CPT 2023 HERE 

Instagram: @cottonfestjhb
Facebook: CottonFestJHB
Twitter: CottonFestJHB
www.cottonfest.co.za
Youtube: CottonFest

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

‘ONLY ICONS ALLOWED’ With MX Blouse

Sep 18, 2023 | Interviews, Music

Mx Blouse is an artist for whom Kwaito remains their primary South African sound. Although they’re not boxed in by any sound – in a climate where genres on the continent are popping off in a myriad of directions, Mx’s sublimation of Kwaito (interspersed with their other influences) begs the right kind of rhythmic depth, electro synth and groove all fused together for that perfect distillation of nostalgia and modernity. It is the sound they are most loyal to. With this, Mx Blouse’s bilingual vocals – harmonies and rap – evoke a kind of storytelling that is as raw and real as Mx Blouse themselves. Recently returned from a tour in Europe and with their latest single ‘ICON’ just dropping, Mx Blouse is a force to be reckoned with despite the challenges of the pan. No formal training or musical history within their family, I surmise in our conversation that a power beyond reality coaxed Mx into creating music. It’s destiny.

In our conversation, Mx tells me that finding themselves as a practising musician was never certain, “I have no idea where it comes from, this drive to be a performer or artist. I’ve always been a writer and this is something I say all the time – fundamentally, what I am is a writer. I got my mom and sister to teach me how to write before I even went to school, so that’s been the way I’ve always approached being in the world. I wrote poetry from a young age and that’s gone on forever, through my teenagehood and beyond.” Music was a background feature to their life, but it hadn’t dawned on them it might become front and centre, “music is something my mother loved a lot. There was always music playing in the house and at some point, we had our cousins staying with us. So I drew a lot of inspiration from my older cousins and their music taste – Tupac, Notorious B.I.G and also a lot of Kwaito.” For Mx, Music showed up as a healing salve when “my mom died when I was 16 and I don’t why, but my way of consoling myself was buying myself a guitar. I don’t come from a musical family but music drew me in, somehow. Writing is a form of expression and that has ended up extending to music.”

Writing is such an act of solitude. To take this personal act and to take that into an outwardly expressive, demanding environment like the stage – to perform and be perceived – is a courageous one and one that not many writers might ever pursue. I ask Sandi if there was a moment in which they realised that their writing had to reach beyond their solitude and into the world? To which they say, “well, it started with pursuing journalism. I wanted to do fashion journalism but the education spaces in South Africa don’t offer that. So, I pursued traditional journalism as a way to initially get my writing out into the world. I didn’t like it, though. It wasn’t for me.”

Mx had faced an existential crisis around their craft; writing was their initial love, but how could they find a way for writing to extend toward something more exhilarating and fulfilling? As Mx explains, “I cashed out my pension and left the country. I went on a two month trip to Thailand and Vietnam. I got to Bangkok and for a week, I was so depressed because I felt so directionless. Before I’d left, I started working with a friend, Joni Blud, on some music. It wasn’t very serious. I think we’d been drunk at some party and started freestyling. Eventually, I rapped on some beats that he had made.”

This trip to South East Asia would come to consecrate the artist we know today as Mx Blouse. As Mx reminisces, “everything came together in Thailand, when I was feeling a little bit depressed. I started playing these beats that Joni had sent me and I started writing. I recorded those first songs on my computer with my earphones as a microphone, sent them back to him and we put together some tracks. That was the beginning.” In a wildly fated sort of way, the universe wasted no time in signalling to Mx that they were onto something. It would take exactly one week from dropping their first track, to being asked to perform it live; “I was in Vietnam, just about to come home, and I put one of the songs on Soundcloud. The song wasn’t mixed or mastered, but I did it anyway! It was called ‘WTF’. About a week later a friend of mine, Colleen, asked if I wanted to come and perform that song I had posted at Kitcheners in Braamfontein. My sister came to watch and I remember being on stage and being like, this is what I want to do. The feeling of being on stage was pure ecstasy for me.” Mx describes walking off the stage and straight up to their sister, asking her if they could stay on their couch as Mx wasn’t going back to Cape Town. They were going to stay in Joburg and make the music thing happen.

Fast forward until today – Mx has just returned from a European tour, with a sonic style that flexes their innate musical ability and penchant for performance. True to Mx Blouse style, their relationship to touring in Europe arose from someone asking to bring them out to perform in Berlin, and Mx advocating their business-sense outright. As Mx says, “I said that I would love to, but I’m not going to leave South Africa to play just one show in Europe. So, I arranged with promoters in a few different cities like Nuremberg, Leipzig.” Energising and exhilarating are principle features of an Mx Blouse show, though they’ve had to find what artist that they are; thus, Mx Blouse is a continued, evolving expression of themselves as an artist, “I’ve been doing this for five years. In hindsight, that’s not a long time. In between those years was the pandemic, which rocked all of us. When I think about the kind of stages I’ve played on in this short amount of time, I am very grateful – because I don’t think this happens for a lot of people.” Mx continues to create with their long standing collaborators like Thor Rixon (behind their first official track, ‘Is’phukuphuku’ and its eternally iconic music video) and Boogie Vice; it seems that for Mx, experimentation is done best with those that really know you. Mx explains on finding their sound, “I don’t listen to one genre so it’s been my task to incorporate as many threads into my sound as I can. I’ve been very lucky to work with people that can understand that.”

Photographed by William Rice & Styled by MX Blouse

Mx Blouse’s latest track ICON is a powerful statement of self-liberation. The track features Mx in a fervent, hard-hitting lyrical storm that traverses many stances about their expression in the world. As they say “I think a lot of people would categorise this new track as hip hop but there’s elements of dance music, of Amapiano – it’s me testing these sounds together. I’ve become very passionate about addressing the fact that South African rap music tends to mimic American rap music. I find that insanely boring, to be honest. It doesn’t feel authentic. Rapping with a South African accent is so important to me. I want to archive Kwaito by taking a lot of inspiration from the Kwaito era and channelling it into what I’m making today. Kwaito is the blueprint.” 

The track is also Mx Blouse’s foray back into music after the pandemic forced them to get back into writing. The french tour they had planned was cancelled – as with so many other events and experiences. It has taken courage for Mx to return and to once again accept the call to perform. As they say, “I was so busy trying to survive that music took a backseat. This track is a signal that I am ready again. The recent tour has been so re-energising. Along with Amapiano, I’m experimenting with Afrotech with a young producer I’m working with, Dronezzy. He is the producer behind ICON as well. I can do this music thing and I am doing it again. There is a lot to come out in the future.” 

Catch Mx Blouse perform at ComUnity Festival on 25th September, 2023, Old Biscuit Mill, Cape Town

ComUnity Tickets are available HERE

Stream and Support ‘ICON’ HERE

Written by: Holly Beaton

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

Swedish Eyewear Brand CHIMI Has Landed In South Africa

Sep 15, 2023 | News, Fashion

Intersecting understated Scandinavian style with iconic silhouettes, cult Swedish eyewear brand CHIMI makes its long-awaited debut in South Africa this spring. The launch is perfectly timed for the shimmering days and bright nights of the season, meeting the need for considered, convention-defying, and highly protective unisex eyewear that makes a statement, from beach club to dance floor.

Founded in Stockholm in 2016, where its covetable eyewear collections are designed, CHIMI has gained a following among celebrities-in-the-know and style makers with its refined aesthetic and clean silhouettes. From modern takes on timeless classics to graphic styles, the brand’s sunglasses have been worn by Hailey Bieber and Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye, and are regularly spotted on Kendall Jenner, Rita Ora and Billie Eilish to Alicia Keys and Beyoncé.

Led by creative director Charlie Lindström and CEO Daniel Djurdjevic, the designs have been conceptualised for the fearlessly creative, active, and progressively fashion-forward consumer, for both an urban and an adventure-fueled outdoor lifestyle. Cue desirable high-performance styles for skiing and running, which stand their ground on the chicest shopping streets from the Swedish capital to Milan. The brand has collaborated with Maison Kitsuné for a colourful collection, and more recently with luxe carmaker Koeingsegg for its limited-edition Forca-G high-velocity titanium aviator. The Forca G Collection also contained a premium racer jacket made out of 60% metal. It’s this spirit of ‘futuristic simplicity’ that subtly infuses all CHIMI’s ranges, from audaciously unconventional to contemporary styles.

CHIMI’s Core collection features 11 signature silhouettes to cater to an array of tastes, each sporting strong sculptural lines, elegant curvature, and bevelled temples. In the Scandinavian tradition of minimalism, these classic shapes have been reinterpreted through a hyper-modern lens. Striking architectural statements are made in the rectangular 04 and squarely structural 05 styles, while the rounded 01 and vintage-inspired oval 03 are enduring classics. The ultra cool cat-eye of the 06 with its squared-off wings is in hot contest for high drama with the bold oversized 08, while the 11 cuts a striking figure with its androgynous wayfarer-style.

Lightweight and durable, the Core styles are handcrafted in premium Italian acetate from heritage producer Mazzucchelli. Each is available in a choice of directional hues for every season, from pared-back ecru to earthy green and brown, deep tortoiseshell, pale or dark grey, to classic black. New seasonal colours like light yellow and orange add warmth for sun-drenched appeal.

Every aspect of the brand lives up to its Scandi-cool vibe, whether the minimalist purity of CHIMI’s Campus Architects-designed flagship store in Stockholm’s Kungsgatan, its newly opened outlet in Paris, its collab with avant-garde French boutique Tom Greyhound, or the monochromatic bodycon allure of CHIMI’s first ready-to-wear apparel launched this past January. The cult brand has made its way to South Africa and aligned with the country’s appetite for high-style eyewear with niche appeal. 

All CHIMI’s sunglasses have 100% UVA and UVB protection, anti-scratch, anti-shatter and distortion-free features.

The CHIMI Core collection is available for purchase HERE

ABOUT CHIMI
CHIMI was founded in Stockholm in 2016 on the idea of creating eyewear, ready-to-wear and accessories engineered for a fearless lifestyle. To inspire the wearer to capture every aspect of modern active life, the products are imagined through the eye of futuristic simplicity, wearability and aesthetical longevity. To date, the collections cover premium eyewear, ready-to-wear and accessories.

Press release courtesy of avenue

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

Super Duty Tough Work release two-track single ‘Dirty Hands’ and ‘Mood Swings’

Sep 15, 2023 | New Release, Music

Inspired by the dirty jazz loop sound of 90s east coast hip hop, Super Duty Tough Work are the live incarnation of hip hop culture’s quintessential era, appearing as a band (we know, stay with us) but manifesting a sound that’s more akin to something straight out of an MPC or SP-404 sampler. Revered for their methodically curated sets, SDTW mixes laidback rap action and razor-sharp delivery with effortless loops sewn together with surprising transitions, keeping audiences on their feet and salivating in anticipation as to what’s coming next. Simply put: internationalism is the theme, liberation through hedonism is the dream, and satisfaction is guaranteed from the team whose specialty is taking audiences on a journey through a culture where loops are slayed and jewels are the tools of the trade. 

After being a live show only act for years, the group released their debut EP, ‘Studies in Grey’, in September 2019, followed by a cross country tour. Eight months later ‘Studies in Grey’ received a Polaris Prize nod in the form of a Long List nomination, followed shortly thereafter with a nomination for a Western Canadian Music Award in the category of Best Rap & Hip Hop Artist. The Polaris nod makes SDTW the first Manitoba based hip hop act to be nominated for the prize. 

This two track single is released in tandem with their album ‘Paradigm Shift’. With a heavy dose of the usual witty, provocative, carefree lyricism we’ve come to expect from frontman Brendan Grey, mixed with some catchy hooks and melodic choruses sure to become ear-worms. On the other hand, the underlying themes of anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism, celebrity/idol worship and climate catastrophe can only be made to be so fun, making for an interesting dichotomy as the listener is pushed and pulled in a few very different directions throughout. 

The content can get pretty heavy, but in the same breath, it’s composed and presented in such a stylish and effortless manner, proving that a spoonful of honey (and a couple zoots) really does help the medicine go down. Cloaked at times in the dusty sample sound of golden era hip hop (p.s. it’s all live), while in other places utilizing a more contemporary approach such as trap hi-hats, House synths and 808 bass pads, this record clearly exemplifies the group’s growth, as we see them cover new ground both thematically and sonically. 

The heavy content and ear-pleasing soundscapes are so well put together that you don’t always realize that you’re listening to songs often exploring the symptoms and results of what can only be described as settler-colonialism and predatory/late stage capitalism/neoliberal economics, while also calling for the hanging of Elon Musk and redistribution of all stolen wealth hoarded by the billionaire class.

Stream ‘Dirty Hands’ and ‘Mood Swings’ HERE

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

Feiertag releases ‘Keep Your Head Up’ feat. Noah Slee

Sep 15, 2023 | New Release, Music

Joris Feiertag is a Dutch producer and live-act from Utrecht in the Netherlands who makes music that is a finely balanced combination of organic and synthesized elements, often using ingenious syncopated rhythms combined with instruments such as the harp and kalimba. 

This autumn he will release Roots, his third album on revered German imprint Sonar Kollektiv. Having concentrated his attention on catchy hooks and a number of guest voices on his first, and deeper breakbeat workouts on his second, Joris felt it was time to deliver something that sat comfortably in a space somewhere between the two. The LP features a plethora of vocalists from across the globe including Rotterdam’s Robin Kester; Guinea born Falle Nioke; Tru Thoughts recording artist Rhi; young spoken word artist from London, Nego True; Afro-futuristic U.S. hip hop outfit OSHUN and Berlin based vocalist Noah Slee, who features on the latest single, Keep Your Head Up.

Feiertag by Eduard Nijgh

As a song about biding your time and waiting for your moment, it reflects perfectly the process Joris had to go through to be able to collaborate with Noah on the track. Having danced around the idea of working together for some time, the dream eventually came true when the pair met in the German capital. The result is a timeless piece of music that finely balances out Feiertag’s electronic sensibilities (here reminiscent of Maribou State) with Slee’s soulful aesthetic, whilst still retaining a pop feel. Minor key dark, brooding and emotional instrumentation combine with jazz tinged, sultry choir like vocals to great effect. It’s a space that Feiertag inhabits when he’s at his best. 

Stream ‘Keep Your Head Up’ HERE

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

TTeo releases latest single ‘Follow Me’ from his LP ‘Lovexpress 77’

Sep 15, 2023 | New Release, Music

TTeo is the pseudonym of Matteo Capreoli – a half German, half Italian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer with a deep musical heritage. Fernando Antonio Capreoli, his father, left Salento in southern Italy for Germany in 1970, before forming disco-funk-rock outfit Lovexpress, made up of mainly Italian and Scandinavian musicians, playing drums in the band and touring Norway, Sweden and Denmark from 1974 to 1979. 

TTeo himself to Sonar Kollektiv in 2020, releasing the Salento EP, named after the place of his father’s birth. More recently, though, he was serendipitously handed a batch of cassettes by his dad of some Lovexpress live shows from the late 1970s. TTeo was deeply impressed by the quality of the music and got his father to digitise them immediately! These recordings form the basis of, and the inspiration for, his latest LP – Lovexpress77, and are the only known recordings of the band who never quite made it into the studio to lay down an album.

The second single to be taken from Lovexpress 77, is the gospel flavoured ‘Follow Me’. TTeo dug deep into the original band’s samples for this song, especially the vocal and drum parts. The Lovexpress band was led by Afro-American singer Joe Boston, who here sings with Leo, the bass player in the band. 

Stream ‘Follow Me’ HERE

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

MUNKUS: Thando Ntuli On Fostering Her Label’s Intergenerational Dress Codes

Sep 14, 2023 | Interviews, Fashion

Thando Ntuli’s label MUNKUS was only conceived in 2019, yet it has become one of the most prized (literally) and lauded contemporary fashion brands in South Africa. Thando’s initial accolades include ‘Most Fashionable Commercial Range award’ from Truworths in 2019, the ‘All Sourcing Designer of the Year’ in 2021 and both of Design Indaba and Glamour Magazine’s ‘Emerging Creative of the Year’. Last year, MUNKUS won SA Fashion Week New Talent search. In a span of just four years, Thando’s vision as a designer and entrepreneur has made itself abundantly known. To me, most pressingly, is Thando’s incredible technical abilities as a designer, that seed MUNKUS boast one of the strongest articulations of construction in South African fashion. 

Embedded in the MUNKUS brand DNA is the conception of intergenerational dressing. Drawing from her Sowetan upbringing surrounded by impeccably stylish women, Thando says “fashion has always been an expression of who I am. Coming from an art background, being into anime, I always wanted to express myself the way I saw those characters, people and colours. I grew up seeing my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother have amazing style. The way I knew it was amazing, was that I was the ‘thief’ in the house! I was always able to style and wear their pieces despite the age or size differences. It really worked because their pieces were so beautiful and trendy.” It’s for this reason that MUNKUS references nostalgia but in the most subtle way; the brand is described as paying homage to the sartorial sensibilities of township culture in the 1980s and 1990s, but through an incredibly sharp, modern lens. From a family of creatives, Thando’s family is not only the inspiration for the garments themselves; they’re the reason she became a designer. As Thando explains, “my family always knew I was going to do something creative. My older brother, who is an art director and HOG, opened the floor for me. He was like, ‘I’m gonna tell everyone that I’m doing something crazy’ so by the time I did it, everyone had gotten used to the idea of a creatively driven career. When I left school I had considered being a paediatrician, but my mom and grandmother swiftly reminded me that I’d always loved fashion, why not try design? My family’s support is a big influence in my work.”

MUNKUS AW23 Shot by Pierre Van Vuuren

MUNKUS shot by Steve Tanchel for SMag

MUNKUS SS22 Shot by Pierre Van Vuuren

The MUNKUS vision for dressing is due to Thando’s deeply thoughtful approach to her customers, “growing up as a millennial / Gen Z’s, we have been bombarded with ideas of sustainability. I wanted to take a different approach through MUNKUS. I wanted to make garments that looked good for my mom, for my gran, for me – I wanted MUNKUS to showcase heirlooms, multiple ways of dressing to impact the mindfulness of the wearer on how to dress. Through linking their stories and my story together through the label, our vision for sustainability at MUNKUS is to go back to the practice of how we wear clothing and why.” 

One of the most striking aspects of MUNKUS is the layering; highly-developed pieces that stand-alone with strength or can compose an entire look are integral to the brand’s offering. On the runway, one never knows what to expect. I will always stand by my sentiment that layering is one of the highest ideals of style. To be able to layer is an artform. To be able to weave layering into the construction manifesto of your brand, is mastery. Thando explains that modesty was her initial, personal segue into layering, “layering began as part of my faith – I am muslim and I’m the only one in my family now – so the concept of layering was a means to dress myself with multiple options for expression. When envisioning MUNKUS, I wanted that to be part of it but I didn’t want to limit any of our customers to how I would wear the pieces. So the layering serves as a versatile way to make up the way you want to wear our pieces. If you want to dress up more and be more covered, you can – if you want to let it out and show more skin and feel confident too, then you can. MUNKUS is about finding who you are and what your style is, but me giving you the option of pieces that are truly dynamic.” 

This kind of deep interest in the autonomy and freedom of her customers is such an incredible quality; in our conversation, I ask Thando what style has become to her as she’s developed as a designer? To which Thando says, “I think style is so much more about understanding who we are as individuals or in our communities. Trends are useful, we get to see what’s available, but ultimately style is an intimate process through fashion of self-realisation. For us it’s about allowing the customer the space to do that freely without imposing our ideas of how our pieces should be worn.” In terms of process regarding creating multiple pieces (more than most designers would ever attempt for runway shows), to which Thando explains that “the way that I design is not necessarily what goes down the runway, I don’t think necessarily about combinations until I have conceived of multiple, individual pieces. Then at the end, we get to the play and switch things out. The way we end up showcasing in Nigeria would be different to South Africa, for example, because I’m always thinking of the audiences and personalising MUNKUS to them.”

It’s only four years in, yet Thando’s MUNKUS is set to become a formidable, boundless asset to fashion in Africa and internationally. Thando says “I’m trying to push myself so much more with structure and construction. It becomes so technical and that’s my happy space; getting nerdy about draping, seams and silhouettes. I’m focused on developing what I know and testing what I can learn from basic patterns blocks to where the label is now. I’m trying to do many styles that can work on different bodies, that will always be a focus for me.” To wear MUNKUS is to be enveloped in shades of colour – warmth, coolness, rich and bright – Thando explains that, “I love colour! Colour is life, colour is emotion in reality. I am an emotional person. Colour is an amplifier in expressing oneself and colours have different seasons, different times to be worn and loved.”

MUNKUS SS23 Campaign Shot by Dicker & Dane

I ask Thando if there are any constraints to being labelled as a ‘luxury’ designer. I think of journalist Suzy Menkes who said in an interview that she feels fashion needs a new word; luxury can be stiffening and require all sorts of projects. What about quality and freedom as inherent to fashion, without it being luxury? To this, Thando says “I never intended for MUNKUS to be ‘luxury’ but I think in the context of South Africa, it is luxury. Being a young designer is really challenging here. Our resources and manufacturing structure is so weak. It wasn’t always this way, especially when it comes to sourcing fabric or finding the right manufactures. So often pricing finds itself at luxury levels because of the roadblocks that were faced to get a garment to a highly constructed, well-made, quality piece.” Finally, Thando sums up MUNKUS and its role in South Africa’s burgeoning fashion scene, “MUNKUS is a family affair. That speaks to my own family, but also the energy in South African design right now. We are being shown to the world and I really hope we can continue to create an industry with customers and community-members that appreciate hand-skilled craftsmanship.”

Written by: Holly Beaton

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