YAY! My first Christmas orders from Babazeka have arrived. I was very excited to receive my sweetly wrapped purchases. Thanks to Babazeka for such a great service! Mmm Now which to keep and which to give..

Click here and here for product info.

I am really excited to be invited to Collect Jewelry’s Christmas event. I loved these pieces off their stunning website.

I was hoping to share this with you before it opened, but i was heading to Joburg for a mini break, attending a family wedding which I will share with you later. But here it is, if you haven’t been already, here is the Poetry press release on the new Poetry Store just opened in Cavendish square.

“In yet another first for Cape Union Mart, the family-owned business with a reputation for value and quality (who also launched the popular Old Khaki stores and a new kiddies range called K-Way Kids), this month sees the company opening its first unique women’s lifestyle stores called Poetry.

The first of many to follow, the first Poetry stores open at the Cavendish Square Shopping Centre (Cape Town) and the Garden Route Mall (George) in early December 2008, with more to follow nationwide during 2009.

Highlights for consumers at the Poetry stores will include the unique and eclectic mix of everything from cashmere jerseys and dresses to handmade soaps, biscuits and cushion covers. The stores carry a range of jewellery, exclusive body products, once-off home ware items (photo frames, glasses, napkins, door knobs from India and more), as well as Wonki Ware from George.

“In the past, Cape Union Mart was known predominantly as a men’s store,” comments Cape Union Mart Marketing Manager Evan Torrance. “It was only in recent years that we started to actively target women shoppers with clothing and merchandise designed specifically to meet their needs. We soon realised that there were surprisingly few destination stores for women that stock exclusive and unique items that offer unique, value-for-money products. Radical growth in our women’s areas was apparent from the word go and our research confirmed that a real opportunity existed for us to target a specific segment of women who are well-read and well-travelled.”

Launching the stand-alone Poetry stores was a natural progression for the group, according to Torrance. “Despite the many large retailers offering merchandise for women, few offer unique merchandise. That’s where Poetry has a distinct advantage by not offering garments that are mass produced. Poetry has a refined exclusivity to it, which makes it very appealing. Poetry will offer small, limited runs of a particular product that often can’t and won’t be repeated.”

Martine Vogelman, the fourth generation to join the Krawitz family-owned business, says that Poetry was founded by a small group of people who share a real love for making things that inspire the imagination. “We carefully source, design and select products from across the world with an eye for the smallest details, a passion for old-world craftsmanship and a desire to see shopping elevated to an activity where customers don’t just find novelties, but rather experience a journey of personal discovery.”

She says that when shopping at Poetry, one will be as likely to find an Indian hand-beaded picture frame as a hand-painted floral sconce based on a 1940’s Italian original. “Everything will seem familiar, but you won’t be able to place anything either. Shoppers will experience a feeling of comfort combined with an overwhelming sense of excitement. Everything is old, but everything is new. That is the world of Poetry,” she concluded.”

For more information, visit www.poetrycollection.co.za.

Yay, look what I just ordered from Zenabu for the wedding I am going to next weekend. I am such a women, I have the dress, but am still undecided on the accessories so I have 2 colours to play with here. I am adding some bling to the afropolitan dress code, mixing it up with wood and African beaded bangles. Oh it’s fun to be a women!

See more jewelry here.

This is the summer trends campaign I shot for American Swiss. We shot it a couple months back in the pouring pouring rain. I can’t believe how cheerful it looks

Photographer: Antonia Steyn

Here are some of the finals for the American Swiss Christmas shoot I did. It is out in magazines at the moment.

Photographer: Malcolm Dare

So along with the wonderful Shelley - Anne Mitchell who I learnt a lot from, we helped put together the Edgars Fashion Media day where by Edgars presents their winter trends to all the magazine editors. Our task was to mix old and new, and to create “lady like” themed sets and “Rock Chic” themed sets to showcase the trends. After suppliers letting us down on a Friday afternoon before a Monday set up and the black south easter that hit Cape Town for those few days, I think it came together nicely!

Morning of day 2 at Lightbox studio.

Afternoon of day 2 set up.

Show Time!

Thanks to Id Solutions again for loaning us so many sexy chairs.

Thanks to Prop House and Setscapes for all their help and to the fantastic Peninsula Runners for all their help with deliveries, carrying, moving etc. There are lots more people to thank, like Miro from Edgars for organizing all the set copy at the last minute. Contacts baby, contacts. But I will do another post when I get the professional pics back from Matthys Van Lill. Have a good weekend everyone!

White lounge, Style-Files; dress, Makool loves you; Victoria Ghost Chair, Conran; Clock, Elle Decor; ring, Ida Elsje

Gloves, Kate Spade

Well it seems winter has hit Cape Town for a few days giving us one last bang before we get into summer mode. It came with such a bang emergency vehicles have been on standby. Planning an event for Edgars wasn’t easy in and out of the this weather, with the studio leaking, outdoor lounges being cancelled and wind making us having to raise our voices and catch a few flying articles. All in all it worked out really well and I will post pics tomorrow.

So tomorrow I am off in a taxi to meet the Cavendish Team for a High Five at Beluga. Hopefully the weather will be better and I don’t need gloves.

Keep the festive season fashionable with gift cards from Identity and YDE.