I’m so sorry for being scarce last week, but I was in the busiest week I’ve had this year…
My company BS MEDIA has been handling the social media for the Mercedes Benz Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival. Try say that fast 😉
A lot of people were asking what Bokeh was. Here’s the definition and you can see the bokeh behind the definition.
For those who don’t know what Fashion Films are, they’re the new way for designers and fashion labels to showcase their designs and ethos through a 2-3 minute film that can become timeless, rather than a 30 second advert showcasing only the Winter or Summer collection, for example. The audience can connect with the film through a story on an emotional level, giving personal relevance to the brand.
There are fashion film festivals all over the world and Adrian Lazarus, a filmmaker, took his fashion film to California… to the La Jolla Film Festival where it was won awards. After that experience he decided to create the festival and awards here in South Africa.
His vision is brilliant and I came on board almost immediately last year preparing for the 5-7 June 2014.
It came so quickly and before we knew it, it was quite literally… Lights, Camera and Action!
Besides handling the social media, I also MC’d the daytime event, where we had some of the very best experts from all over the world (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Norway) talking about fashion, fashion films and photography.
Straight after the day time event, I had an hour to get ready and went to host the red carpet in the evening.
It was a busy weekend and I loved every moment, even though I feel like I need to sleep for a week.
I also got to be dressed by the most wonderful designers, arranged by the Cape Town Fashion Council. Thank you Brian and Robin 😉
Alma from Spilt Milk created this beautiful dress for Friday. The leather feathers on my shoulders had a very dramatic, Alexander McQueen feel to it. I teamed it up with a gorgeous necklace from Colette Hayman.
On Saturday evening I was dressed by Jagadi Couture. Javaid created this amazing sequin gold and black dress.
I felt like a princess.
MAC Cosmetics did my make up for me. I kept saying to my make-up artist Biana: “Can I keep you?”
I was serious though… I wish I could keep her with me all day, every day.
Here are some photographs from Friday and Saturday…
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| Getting ready |
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| Setting up the red carpet |
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| The most amazing HD HiSense screens set up all over the venue so that no one missed a fashion film |
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| Photographer Gavin Goodman also shot various photo shoots with gorgeous models during the festival – it was fun to watch |
The Red Carpet was now ready with our media wall…
I decided to try it out on Friday…
And on Saturday… It was AMAZING to see my company on the media wall. 
Here I am MCing the day time events…
Fred Sweet is the Festival Director of the La Jolla Fashion Film Festival and the International Fashion Film Awards. It was an honour to have him talk about fashion films and how they do festivals and awards internationally. He has such a dry sense of humour, it was wonderful.
T-Michael, all the way from Norway, was probably the coolest guy there. He and Alexander spoke about their range: Norwegian Rain. I am obsessed with the one raincoat. It’s a must have.
Truth Coffee’s were delicious and complimentary, which was wonderful on the cold, rainy days.
The Cape Town Fashion Council also set up retail pop up stores of the creme de la creme of Fashion Designers. Everyone had an opportunity to buy from Gavin Rajah, David Tlale, Spilt Milk, Jagadi Couture, Craig Port, Shirt & Co, Reza Levy, Milq & Honey, Lara Klawikowski,
There were a lot of filmmakers from all over the world, who flew out for the event. They all submitted their films and our expert judges had a hard task of choosing winners in Saturdays Award Ceremony.
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| Here I am with all the international filmmakers |
I had an hour to get ready before getting onto the red carpet to host.
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| Alma from Spilt Milk and I in her gorgeous creation |
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| Spilt Milk and Colette Hayman |
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| Filmmakers from Madrid |
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| David Tlale on the carpet |
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| Say cheese… |
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| Roshan Isaacs, the Editor of Style Africa magazine, Adrian Lazarus, the festival director and I |
Songstress, Filipa (she won the Ryan Seacrest One Direction Cover competition) arrived looking gorgeous…
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| Filipa, Bailey and Sarah Jane |
On Saturday, I got to have my make-up done again by Bianca from MAC Cosmetics.
Everyone was getting ready for another busy day…
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| Steaming Shirt & Co |
David Tlale did a fantastic talk about his range, where he comes from, where he is going and what he thinks of fashion in SA and fashion films.
The day whizzed by and yet again I had an hour to recharge, get ready and get out onto the red carpet…
My man arrived looking dapper – his support was something else this weekend and I am so grateful.
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| T-Micheal and Socrates |
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| Selvin Govender (Head of Marketing for Mercedes Benz), Bailey Schneider, Elihle Mnguni (Specialist Communications for Mercedes Benz), Julia and Adrian Lazarus |
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| Colin Moss and his wife |
Here is Javaid (Jagadi Couture) and I… He created this gorgeous dress.
We made sure that no one went hungry during the evenings… If Ellen could do it at the Oscars, we could do it at the Bokeh’s. Primi World arrived with PIZZA and a dance to Pharrell’s “Happy.”
This was amazing… Chris created this huge sculpture. On closer inspection, they were all the various awards created uniquely for each category.
Here he is dismantling the sculpture to get each award down…
What an incredible experience. I can’t wait for next year! I truly hope that people are inspired by this new fashion phenomenon of combining fashion and film. We have such amazing talent in this country and it was wonderful to watch the stories of our fashion unfold.
If you want to follow on Twitter and Facebook please do… We also have the winning films there too.
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