Old Street - Issue Two - September 2012

MAGAZINE

ISSUETWO SEPTEMBER2012

C O N T E N T S

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t has been a month filled with changes. From being more business savvy, to realising that doing business ethically will cut out those from your life who are bringing you down, and keep those who are good for you close. Our vision for Old Street has always been to give people a new way of living consuming less and appreciating more.

In this issue, we take a look at locals flying the flag for entrepreneurship - from Rockabilly clothing to laptop covers made from coffee bags. We were also lucky enough to chat to Arno Carstens in

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between his hectic schedule as he finishes up his latest album and tracked down a Cape Peninsula University of Technology graduate who is ... to put it mildly, going LARGE in the London fashion scene. We hope you enjoy this issue and find within these pages something that will inspire you. If you wish to contact us regarding the magazine or know anybody who would like to be featured, please send us an email to oldstreetline@gmail.com Tom & Lamese

CONTRIBUTORS

MERCEDES BENZ CAPE TOWN FASHION WEEK ARNO CARSTENS

STREET STYLE - THIS IS A MAN’S WORLD

Marchelle Abrahams Riz & Resh Dollie Gabriella Clementi Michelle Oberholzer

MISS HAPP - ROCKABILLY FASHION ONLINE SHOPPING - HEELS

Sieraaj Allie Emily Pettit-Coetzee & Liza West

LAUREL & HARDY MEN’S VINTAGE INTERNING @ MCQUEEN ANONA MISS - HAIR TO DYE FOR

Facebook.com/oldstreetretro

OLDSTREET PHOTOSHOOT

SUSTAINABLE IPAD CASES

Twitter.com/oldstreetretro

THE STYLE OF MZ BRATT Email: oldstreetline@gmail.com

NEW STREET LA-LA JEWELLERY

Tel no: 078 257 0355

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There was so much loveliness delivered AT THIS YEAR’S Mercedes Benz Cape Town Fashion Week, it’s hard to choose which looks were our favourite. that said, a few did stand out.

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e loved Leigh Schubert’s resort collection, specifically for the jumpsuit.

This is not normally a particularly flattering item, but this one was cleverly designed and the pinks and oranges are so hot for summer.

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PHOTO CREDITS: SIMON DEINER / SDR PHOTO

BY EMILY PETTIT-COETZEE & LIZA WEST

r u n way

KlukCGdT blew everyone away, as usual, with a collection inspired by favourite fairytales. It combined old school Hollywood in bright teal, cobalt and fuchsia through to navy and black.

The luxury continued into the fabric, with loads of lace and floral brocade.

Favourite look? Pretty impossible to choose, but we love the combination of colours and fabrics going on in this look. So luxurious!

Love Craig Port’s menswear. It’s not anything my man would wear, but it makes for a great runway show! I love his combination of casual shorts, with the striped tee and blazer. The boat shoe just completes it. So European!

But, saving the best for last. Our favourite has to be this amazing styling

by Thula Sindi. The patent leather jacket with the clashing animal and peacock print is too amazing. And combined with the red lip, it’s right up our street!

To follow what the fab duo is up to, please visit www.iheartyouroutfit.com

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We caught up with the award-winning artist, in between finishing up his new album, to chat to him about music and all things Arno.

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rno Carstens is rock royalty in South Africa. He has been the voice of an entire generation from his journey with the Springbok Nude Girls which began in 1994 to his now 10th studio album. The single ‘Two Dogs’ off his new album, which will be released in South Africa on 10 September, proves that Arno still has the Midas touch – his towering voice and encapsulating lyrics are here to stay. Not many know that Arno

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initially studied graphic art - his work is on display at The Lovell Gallery in Woodstock. His work is described on his website as “bold and expressive, sometimes playful sometimes sinister, with a hint of the surreal.”

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE NEW ALBUM? The new album sounds more like the music I did with my band than my previous solo stuff. It sounds a bit less

‘produced’ but more edgy.

THE VIDEO FOR ‘TWO DOGS’ IS HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL. WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM? To be honest, we made a video and it didn’t work so we went for something more literal and darker. The video sums up the song 100% - I am happy with it.

NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU ARE AN ARTIST TOO.

i n t e r v i e w

WHERE CAN YOUR WORK BE VIEWED AND WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION FROM? I draw my inspiration from the same place I draw inspiration for my songs.

For me, creativity all stems from our subconscious - our perception of the world we live in. You can view my work at www.arnocarstensfineart.com.

WHAT DOES STYLE MEAN TO YOU? AND DO YOU LIKE VINTAGE? Style means more to me as I grow older.

But I do care less about what others

think! Maybe this defines my style. I do buy vintage clothing – and I like to adapt it to my style.

ARE THERE ANY PEARLS OF WISDOM YOU CAN PASS ON TO ANYONE PURSUING THEIR DREAM? My advice is really all clichés I stole from other people and I’m sure that I’m the last one who can preach with my shaky track record. All I’ll say is survive by any means possible!

DO YOU DRAW ON ANY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WHEN

WRITING A SONG - WHAT IS BLUES EYES ABOUT? I do a little yes but it is muddled with dark tales. Blue Eyes is about an untrustworthy policeman who, after apartheid, committed family murder and suicide because he thought they had no future – the only thing he had was a gun. He killed his entire family but could not kill his little blue eyed daughter - hence the title.

For more information visit www. arnocarstensfineart.com and www.arnocarstens.com

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ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF MICHELLE OBERHOLZER, CYNDER & SKYLARK

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Street Style pictures

by Cinder & Skylark - a blog run by Michelle Oberholzer - www. cinderandskylark. blogspot.com

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HOW DID MISS HAPP ALL START? I started working and designing the Miss Happ range for the YDE competition in 2008 and my range was one of six semi-finalists selected out of 85 entrants. Unfortunately, I didn’t go on to be placed but putting my passion and ideas onto paper was the beginning of something exciting for me. In January 2009, I officially launched Miss Happ at the Cape Town International Tattoo convention.

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WHY ROCKABILLY FASHION? For me, it really sums up all the things I have always loved, from the clothing of the 40s, 50s and 60s, to the lifestyles of those times and even the type of cars they drove. Rockabilly style takes all these classic influences and gives them a more modern twist - it’s really about making the look your own and not literally dressing vintage, but being Vintage inspired. I also love the fact that the whole look is about womanly curves and celebrating a typical feminine form.

was exactly in year three that I saw considerable growth in my sales, as well as general awareness for the brand. When I started Miss Happ I was doing it because it was a look I loved. It was a huge leap of faith – I didn’t even know if I had a market out there. The rockabilly and pin-up look overseas is very big, and I can say it’s taken a while for the ordinary South African to know and understand what it is I am trying to do and exactly what I am about.

I have worked hard at it all, and have had some great coverage over the years. In 2009 (my first year) I took the Miss Happ range to Joburg Fashion week where I exhibited. I have also been on Top Billing for a pinup shoot that I styled and provided wardrobe for. Miss Happ has also been in various magazines (as well as online magazines). I have met great people along the way too and expanded my initial target market considerably.

Every year for the past four years Miss Happ has been a vendor at the Cape Town International Tattoo convention, which is always a lot of hard work but ultimately great fun!

HOW HAS YOUR JOURNEY BEEN THUS FAR? It has definitely been full of ups and downs. They always say that it takes three years to see if your business is going to succeed or not, and it

TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE PINUP 101 CLASSES The Pin-up 101 workshops were started by myself and the lovely ladies from AnonaMiss beauty Emporium.

With the growing awareness of the

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We caught up with Mandy Bronner, the talented woman behind Miss Happ – a rockabilly clothing lifestyle label in Cape Town – bringing you everything from the perfect rockabilly frock, to the opportunity to have a pin-up photoshoot.

MISS HAPP CREATOR MANDY BrONNER

I N T E R V I E W

Rockabilly and pin-up culture, we often have girls asking us what they must do to get the look, so it was an easy step for us. The whole idea is for girls to bring along their girlfriends, let their hair down (or tie it up in a bandana) and join us while we show you easy step-bystep techniques for creating that basic pin-up look.

WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION FROM? I have had a love of the 50s and 60s since I was a girl.

When I was studying, I went through a stage of only wearing little 60s inspired dresses made from vintage fabrics that I found. My dad has a love of old cars which has been a huge influence. I think I have seen every Marilyn Monroe and James Dean movie! Music has also been a big influence – I guess everything goes handinhand. My dad has played in a band since he was a teen in the 60s, so we grew up in a household were there was always music being played. The whole tattoo culture and history is another strong influence in my clothing range and my life.

For more information on how and where to purchase Miss Happ, email mandy@misshapp.co.za or call her showroom/office on (021) 552 3878

Miss Happ is giving away a hamper to the value of R240. The hamper contains a leopard print bandana, a pink strawberry bandana, a pink hair flower clip and two bow hair clips. To enter, email oldstreetline@ gmail.com with Miss Happ in the subject line.

WHAT I’VE LEARNT 1. Always be nice to people - you never know who is going to cross your path down the line.

2. Don’t bad mouth those that have done you ill along the way.

3. Remember where you have come from. Stay humble.

4. Realise what your weaknesses are and don’t be afraid of them. Realisation is the first step.

5. Focus on the good - I am a notorious prophet of doom, so this one is particularly hard for me.

6. Help others along the way - you know where they are - you have been there yourself at some stage.

7. Do not procrastinate – do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.

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O N L I N E

S H O P P I N G

By Marchelle Abrahams

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O N L I N E

S H O P P I N G

I’m unsure whether to blame it on those darn Kardashians with their manicured good looks and perfect smiles for starting my obsession with high heels, or whether to just admit that there will always be a part of me that loves them. even if I cannot walk in them!

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eels to me have always just been an accessory to make myself look taller and give the illusion of having sexy, toned legs. But then I wanted those sexy toned legs. I just had one problem - for the life of me, I could never walk gracefully in a pair of heels.

Wedge heels, platform heels and stilettos - I’ve tried them all and failed miserably.

After spending an entire evening on the internet drooling over Louboutins, Manolo Blahniks and the like, I discovered a local online store selling “sexy” footwear.

Heels2Heaven is a Cape Town based company that specialises in sexy platforms, heels and shoes. Think Fifty Shades of Grey and you’ve got the picture.

Their top selling brands have names such as Pleaser, Devious, Demonia and Funtasma (you’ll be forgiven for thinking these sound like a chain of dominatrix stores) and their website is easy to navigate with each section categorised

accordingly. Just click on the shoe you fancy and you’ll get a short description plus an option for a bigger image and price.

The best thing about the online store is that you get free delivery with certain purchases.

You also have the option of setting up an account and shopping cart section which you can check out with at any time, and your details are saved so you can go back in the future and log in without the hassle of re-inputting your details.

The how to order section seems a bit confusing however, and there doesn’t seem to be a credit card facility, which means payments are done via EFT - a safer option I suppose.

As far as prices are concerned, these shoes don’t come cheap. Most of them range in the region of R500 plus, however you have to take into consideration that they are imported and one-of-a-kind designs, which will save you the embarrassment of going out only to find that three other girls have the same pair on as you.

If you’re planning on spoiling yourself then these shoes are a definite investment for your Fifty Shades of Grey persona.

For more information, visit www.heels2heaven.co.za

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FA S H I O N

Laurel and Hardy is a Cape Town based men’s vintage apparel label. Started by Anwar Abdullatief, a chef by trade, Laurel and Hardy supplies Capetonians with quality vintage goodies straight from “granddad’s wardrobe”.

For more information on where they’ll be trading and what’s on offer, visit www.facebook.com/laurelandhardy.mensvintage.

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McQueen Cezanne Gramson is a talented lady.

She is hard-working, innovative and very humble. She completed her studies at Cape Peninsula University of Technology and then London College of Fashion. She has also interned at Alexander McQueen and Burberry.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FASHION BACKGROUND? I’m a fashion, textile and accessories designer based in London. I recently completed a Degree with First Class Honours in Fashion and Surface Textile Design – at The University of the Arts: London College of Fashion. I initially studied at Cape Peninsula University of Technology but always knew that I wanted to study, work and live my life in London.

I’ve worked for Alexander McQueen, Burberry and Giles to name a few.

Coming to London was like coming home. It’s a melting pot of cultures and diversity on a massive scale. I could express myself through my art and experiment with my visual identity without fear. I never felt truly accepted in South Africa although I am happy to see how the creative industries are blossoming there now.

My creativity was ignited through my Waldorf education in Cape Town. It was part of the curriculum for children to

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express themselves through arts, craft, drama and dance. I remember studying Greek Mythology, Shakespeare and Marine Biology all before the age of 12! It sounds rather new age but really, they were very ahead of their time. My schooling there truly laid the foundation for the kind of work I produce today. I also came from an extremely creative family, and music, arts and crafts are still huge factors in our everyday lives.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO INTERN AT MCQUEEN? Interning at McQueen was an intense, eye opening experience. You hit the ground running - interns design and develop most

i n t e r v i e w of the work. The interns are talented and fresh, either still studying or just graduated from the best design universities. The head designers oversee the creative and technical work and the Creative Director Lee (Alexander) McQueen and Sarah Burton directed the collection.

Sarah, who is now the creative director, was amazing and very down to earth where as Lee was very shy and rarely came down to the design workspace where the interns were.

I worked on the last full collection (Spring/Summer 10) that Lee completed before his tragic death halfway through the following season. The collection I worked on was called Plato’s Atlantis – most of the pieces featured in Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance video. It’s a very demanding highly creative environment, in which we worked 13-hour days five days a week. The amount of creative work and development that goes into developing this kind of collection is extraordinary – no expense is spared and the level of detail and skill executed is remarkable.

Interning there was wonderful and a dream come true. It was also an achievement to have been selected considering I was only in my first year of Uni. However, it was an exhausting experience and I was happy when I finished!

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO OTHERS IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY OR THOSE WANTING TO GET INTO IT? Find your niche – there are so many avenues that make up the fashion industry. There’s fashion PR, styling, buying, merchandizing, visual merchandising, business, fashion journalism, product development etc – it’s not all about design. Each of these functions is codependent on the other. Don’t waste your time doing what you think you should do, instead do what you know you will be good at doing. Build a network and be genuinely nice to people – you never know who you might meet.

WHAT IS THE LONDON FASHION SCENE LIKE? It’s fast, young and dynamic. It’s one of the few places where many trends are sourced directly from the

streets. It’s original and challenging; we push the boundaries and always look towards creating the unique. It is also highly saturated with talent so to stand out you really have to put the work in 24/7. People travel from all over the world to study here and to collaborate with its designers and artists. There is a lot of cross-pollination between art, fashion, music and technology – we blur the lines, which keep things very stimulating.

To view Cezanne’s work, visit www.cezanneagatha.co.uk

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F E AT U R E

ANONA

MISS When it comes to individuality and hair, Manic Panic is one of first names that comes to mind. Manic Panic is an international make-up and hair brand that is now brought to South Africa by AnonaMiss.

In May 2010 at the Rockabilly Rumble event at Speedway Café, AnonaMiss made its first sales.

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abriella Clemti caught up with Gabbi Katz and Mischa Robbertze, the duo behind AnonaMiss, to find out about Manic Panic, trends and all things colour.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BRING MANIC PANIC TO SA? We initially looked at the brand from a make-up perspective. Both Mishca and myself come from a make-up background, and we’d been to London together where we saw the Manic Panic goods in Camden. We realised that it’s such an amazing product

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and that so few people knew about it locally. And here we are in 2012, as the official South African Manic Panic distributors, with two sub-distributors, Cape Town stockists, and salons all over SA onboard!

IN WHAT WAY IS MANIC PANIC DIFFERENT TO OTHER HAIR DYE BRANDS? First and foremost Manic Panic is vegan-friendly - it’s a semipermanent hair colour that is

fortified with herbal extracts that condition and add moisture to the hair, which means there is no need for lathering on conditioners after your colour application. There are also no harmful chemicals in the hair dye - you can change your colour as often as your heart desires.

It is advised that hair be prelightened before applying the Manic Panic colours if you wish to achieve the vibrant result as seen on the swatch chart, however many of the darker

I am a girl with bright blue hair, bright red lips and always wearing either leopard print, polka dots or stripes.

colours will give a darker hue or highlight on naturally blond to medium brown hair.

WHO USED MANIC PANIC? It’s been around since 1977, and has been worn by punks, rockers and celebs for decades!

The Manic Panic strapline is after all ‘Manic Panic is tested on Celebrities not Animals!’. With the bright coloured hair trend that has hit Hollywood over the last year or two, even the likes of Katy Perry, Rhianna and Lady Gaga dye their locks with it. Other celebs include Cindy Lauper, Debby Harry, Annie Lenox., Flea (RHCP), Jared Leto.

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SPRING TRENDS Pastel, pastel and more pastel! Models are rocking soft sherbet shades of pink, purple, orange and blue hair. From last years’ ombre/dip-dye trend, girls are now going to be colouring from root to tip!

AnonaMiss is giving away a tub of Manic PanicRockabilly Blue. Head over to the AnonaMiss Facebook page (see below) and post the year Manic Panic was founded in South Africa on their wall. The answer is in the article.

Facebook - www.facebook.com/anonamissbeauty Twitter – www.twitter.com/anonamissbeauty OLD STREET MAGAZINE

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bangtidy Models: Michelle Allen, Becky Bandezi Photogs: The Dollie House Clothing: Old Street

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i n n o va t i o n

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weet Potato, a company formed by seven students from the University of Cape Town, are using recycled hessian coffee bags to deliver a product that is not only sustainable but fashionable too. Offering unique, one-ofa-kind tablet and laptop sleeves, Sweet Potato offer a viable alternative to the mass produced and environmentally harmful sleeves that we are accustomed to.

“We are proud to belong to a new generation of South African business leaders…”

They have teamed up with local manufaturers, using local materials, to maximize the impact of their product. The sleeves are also made up of dynamic off cuts that further add style and a sustainable edge to these products. They have recognised that entrepreneurship is a key weapon for South Africa to be economically competitive and fight its growing unemployment levels.

Make it your favourite accessory this season.

For more information please see www.sweetpotatosleeve.com.

We are giving-away one of these fabulous Sweet Potato laptop covers. To win, send an email to oldstreetline@gmail.com with ‘Sweet Potato’ in the subject line.

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m u s i c

TO PUT IT SIMPLY, SHE SPITS AS HELLA HARD AS HER STYLE IS FRESH

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e’ve been keeping an eye on Mz Bratt (Cleopatra Humphrey) for a while now. Two reasons – she hails from an area in London which our hearts will always call home – the East End – and secondly, she fuses grime, hip hop and a tad of dancehall like no other female MC. Thirdly, because (we really need another reason) we are in

love with her style.

She’s supported the likes of N-Dubz, Bruno Mars and Tinie Tempah and now, after honing her craft, Mz Bratt has matured into a woman who just knows how to lace gifted lyrics over effortlessly sick beats. Not only has she toured with the who’s who in the UK music scene but she has already, at the tender age of 20, been on a television music show.

Check out her official website at www.mzbratt.co.uk where you can download her new mixtape, ‘Elements’ for free.

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We here at Old Street are passionate about making a difference.

We believe in giving back in any way we can – investing in our community and providing opportunities to those who are ready for a challenge and embarking on a new journey. It was from this ideology that New Street was born.

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ne of the best ways to help, in our opinion, is to equip people with the tools to turn them into entrepreneurs. For us, this is one of the best ways to take responsibility for one’s life and also pump money back into the economy. New Street aims to get people back on their feet irrespective of formal training, financial situation or education. Victor from Kew Town in Ahtlone is a father of three children. After being retrenched he walked the streets looking for work.

We were lucky enough to have the means to help Victor set up a little

tuck shop from his home. A week after beginning his venture Victor looked like a changed man – powerful, confident and ready to take on what life has to throw at him.

Amien, who is currently homeless, is on his way to becoming financially independent. We’ve set him up with a market stall in Athlone. Not only will we pay for his market stall for the next year, but we will also be providing him with second hand clothing to sell. Hopefully, Amien will soon be back on his feet and inspiring others around him to become an entrepreneur..

Image by Tazneem Arend

How you can help If you know anyone who will benefit from the New Street programme, please email us at oldstreetline@gmail.com.

TUCK SHOP: You can provide Victor, or others like him, with items to sell at his tuck shop – anything from chips, sweets, fruit & veg to cigarettes.

CLOTHING

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If you have any clothing in your cupboard that you are willing to donate to Amien or others like him, drop us an email and we’ll pick it up.

We recently had the honour of being part of the Gumboot Fashion Benefit organised by the Boundless v Heart Foundation. The show took place at the Hout Bay Manor. To get involved visit www.theboundlessheart.org.

j e w e l l e r y

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e recently spotted uber cool pieces by La-La Jewellery by Lori. Made and designed by Lori Loudon, who hails from Spain and the US, has spent many years travelling the globe. Her experience has given birth to beautiful one-off pieces as well as collections madeof perspex - unique and oh so fresh! Lori, who started her career as a textile designer, works directly from her studio in Cape Town.

For more information on La-La Jewellery visit www.la-la-jewellerybylori.com OLD STREET MAGAZINE

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