So yesterday I went along to the studio of Cari Stephenson, the designer of the Tart label. Tart showed last year spring/summer at Cape Town Fashion Week and again autumn/winter at this year's Audi Joburg Fashion Week. I specifically liked two things about the collections. The first is that Cari doesn't faff about with conceptual design. While it is not everyone's idea of high fashion, Cari does wearable, production-ready designs for real women who lead active, enquiring, intelligent lives. No frills, no fuss. Just damn fine fabric choices, workmanship and simple, clean lines. The second thing I like about her line is that it is all so wonderfully comfortable and easy to just slip on and go about your business.
And so, when planning my wardrobe for Arise Africa Fashion Week — where I shall literally be running from front row to media lounge, filing stories, posting pics, taking photos, schmoozing celebs, engaging international fashion pundits, doing interviews with designers and feeling up some fabric, all the while gossiping with my media and photo buddies — I knew I needed outfits that would live with me. And so I thought of Tart. I called Cari up, she invited me down, and now I have two smashing new frocks for fashion week. Muchios gracias Cari.
BTW, you can get Tart for yourselves at The Space. And they all have pockets. We all need pockets in our dresses.