On 5 November 2024, esteemed Cape Town art museum, the Norval Foundation, hosted an inspired fashion and art event in collaboration with South African designer, Kat van Duinen. Theirs is a partnership set within the context of a passionate love for Africa, which inspired the theme, ‘An Ode to Africa’.
Art and fashion have long been interwoven, offering aesthetes wearable ways to embrace this wonderful love affair. The evening was a showcase of Van Duinen’s extraordinary luxury collection, highlighting South African materials and craftmanship, where mohair, merino, ostrich leather and ostrich feathers have been skilfully combined to create impactful luxury designs that hero South Africa’s premium raw materials often used on international runways without acknowledging the origin thereof.
Fusing African artistry with luxury fashion, Kat van Duinen remains committed to sustainable practices, fostering skills development, and promoting local production to elevate world-class African-made products on the global stage and a distinctly elegant collection that transcends borders. Cape Town City Ballet added a thrilling dimension to the event with a blend of classical and contemporary dance that captured the heady expression of vibrant style against the backdrop of the Norval Foundation’s collection of modern and contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.
Staged against the Norval Foundation’s astonishing art works and sleek contemporary setting, Van Duinen’s collection mesmerised the audience through a dramatic series of looks that included mohair, ostrich feathers, crocodile skin, diamonds and sleek fabrics.
“From the local artisans and craftsmen to its distinct colour palette and melting pot of traditions and cultures, Africa and, more specifically, my home of South Africa, are at the very heart of the Kat van Duinen brand. South Africa stands proudly as one of the world’s top producers of crocodile skins and the largest in ostrich and mohair production. Yet, too often, these valuable resources are exported in raw form, leaving the local market under-served and our finished goods falling short of the international standards of luxury. At Kat van Duinen, we’re campaigning for change, championing African artisanal culture and pioneering the vision of African luxury”, says Kat van Duinen.
“Founded on the principle of providing high-quality fashion to clientele who value premium materials, first-rate craftsmanship and personalised service, Kat van Duinen’s clients are conscious and intentional about building their wardrobes, creating a look that is contemporary yet timeless, covetable and elegant, eclectic yet refined – and will live on as treasured pieces for generations to come.”
This is in stark contrast to a world consumed with fast fashion, synthetic products and cheap labour.
“It has been an enormous pleasure to collaborate with a local designer of Kat van Duinen’s stature to pull together a beautiful evening of art and fashion. Kat van Duinen’s extraordinary designs were a delight to experience, and showcased local materials and craftmanship in a truly luxurious way.”, shares Norval Foundation Museum Director, Caroline Greyling.
Guests enjoyed Nicolas Feuillatte French champagne and delectable small plates from Grub & Vine Norval.
“This showcase is a tribute to the industry’s champions, united in a shared dedication to quality, sustainability, and innovation. We are deeply grateful to all the stakeholders who joined us, generously offering their resources and support to help ignite a collaborative spirit among us”, concluded van Duinen.
The organisers extended their heartfelt gratitude to the partners that contributed to the success of this year’s “ An Ode to Africa “ Fashion Show namely, Mohair South Africa, Cape Karoo International, and Le Croc for the outstanding raw material, Charles Greig for precious stones and diamonds, Lancôme and Marios Hair Atelier for fabulous make-up and hair, Europa Art Shoes for footwear and Quintessentially and Straughan Inc. for the ongoing support.
