• South African designers’ first time on New York runway

Pretoria/NewYork – Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York Fall 2010, which takes place from 11 to 18 February 2010 at New York’s Bryant Park, will see thousands of fashion industry professionals gather at one of the world’s most iconic fashion events.

More than 50 labels are showing their collections. Among the collections will be those of renowned designers like Vera Wang, Diesel, Lacoste, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Diane von Furstenburg and Donna Karan, amongst others. Upcoming and emerging designers will also have opportunity to showcase their talents, as will top talent from design schools.

This confirms that the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York counts amongst the highest echelons of the international fashion world.

Black Coffee will also be profiled in New York

An exciting fashion label from South Africa will add even more international flair at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York Fall 2010. The featured designers are Jacques van der Watt and Daniça Lepen from the South African label, Black Coffee. These designers distinguished themselves when they won the Mercedes-Benz Art and Culture Award for Fashion in 2009.

The jury members bestowing the award, at the award announcement said that the designs of Jacques van der Watt and Daniça Lepen of Black Coffee exhibit “a blend of past and future giving a new style to modern South Africa. The label embraces contradictions and intuitively presents old African traditions in a new light. Their creations are remarkably familiar and at the same time refreshingly uncommon, hovering somewhere between history and fantasy. Their award-winning collection represents a perfect fusion of a considered past and future. Their collection displays incredible pride, dignity and confidence. This team’s design vision transcends the obvious and manages to manifest a message of community and unity. With innovative ideas, combined with precise, detailed execution, Black Coffee has assured itself a leading role on the South African fashion scene.”

Lulu Letlape, executive director for corporate affairs at Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA), explains the reasons for making the award, “MBSA’s philosophy behind this award is that it must have substance and provide the winner with growth, and opportunity. That is why this award goes further than prize money and an accolade on a CV. The winners receive a full year’s exposure, through special promotions locally and internationally. We chose Fashion Design for the 2009 award because we believe that art takes many forms and covers a vast number of genres, far wider than the previously-held, traditional scope. It is MBSA’s vision that all forms of expression and creativity should be accommodated within the art landscape. Fashion and cars are a lot more similar than may appear at first glance. In both fields, design and style are decisive for success. Besides their exposure locally, Black Coffee enjoyed their own show at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin in July last year, and now they are heading off to New York. This underscores our brand’s commitment to international fashion activities, whose purpose is to cultivate national designers and rising fashion stars by giving aspiring fashion creators an opportunity to introduce themselves to an international audience.”

Black Coffee will participate in the New York event as part of Arise magazine’s African Collective Part III. “It’s very exciting for us, and a little bit of a treat in a career that is a lot of hard work,” says designer Jacques van der Watt.