King David's three-act show

07 November 2013 - 02:14
By Mahlatse James
TRIUMPH: David Tlale at his Rovos Rail fashion parade
TRIUMPH: David Tlale at his Rovos Rail fashion parade

Never one to shy away from incorporating high drama into his shows, David Tlale presented a collection to mark his brand's decade-long success.

It was held off-site at Rovos Rail, away from the rest of the shows, which used Pretoria's City Hall as a venue. King David, as he's affectionately called by followers of his work, presented the show in three different segments.

After a performance by the Joburg Ballet theatre, models paraded down the runway in retail-ready garments made of printed teal fabric, styled with matching head wraps. Singer Sibongile Khumalo's live performance preceded a shorter range of experimental, tailored items created in collaboration with Vlisco, a Dutch fabric house that makes wax-patterned material inspired by African design.

The third part of the showcase was dubbed ''the Goddess line" by the fashion pack in attendance. Here, Tlale designed a collection of textured floor-length gowns, jumpsuits with bold shoulder lines, pantsuits and a leotard in a ripe-rose pink colour.