It came as a sumptuous show and party with rose petals in abundance – as decoration, in rosewater champagne and covering an immense gateau – the Vanessa G womenswear label launch that took place on Wednesday at the Banqueting House in London’s Whitehall.
South African designer and entrepreneur Vanessa Gounden together with head designer Ashish Soni aim to boldly merge the creative traits of art and fashion to create a unique fashion experience with their AW2011 collection. Inspired by the subtle similarities in the two disciplines, the pieces shown amongst others by models Tali Lennox, Jourdan Dunn and Sara Blomqvist were coats, shift dresses and trench coats with prints of fantastic landscapes, flowers, flamingos and zebras and embroidery such as jewels and beads.
Vanessa G’s brand philosophy, wherein fashion and art are treated as one discipline, expressed only through different mediums and thus taking different forms, is additionally implied to bespoke accessories, positioned for the upwardly mobile, affluent and well-heeled women of today.
Sophie Ellis Bextor turned the vinyls at the after party, which at the same time was the designer’s birthday celebration. Vanessa G pop-up boutiques are to be opened in Istanbul, Paris, Berlin and during fashion week in September on London’s Bond Street. Some of the label’s selling will go to Gounden’s charity in South Africa that promotes the local arts.
