Floaty feel for the July

03 July 2015 - 02:17 By Leonie Wagner

For some people the main attraction at the Durban July is the horses, but of equal importance is which designer will be pushing fashion boundaries and which celebrity will be brave enough to step out in their creation. Durban hosts one of South Africa's most prestigious racing events tomorrow and, with the theme "The Captain's Table", the sea creatures are all expected to come out to play.One of this year's designers showcasing his work is Haroun Hansrot, who opted to create an opulent evening gown with real coral pieces, sequins and gold shimmers.His iridescent, "oily" dress was made to look like a mermaid emerging from the ocean.Hansrot said: " It's the one day where everyone dresses up and they go all out. The Durban July is so special. You can think out of the box."Johannesburg designer Craig Jacobs also drew his inspiration from the ocean, but opted for hand-rouged garments and fabric.Jacobs said often people dressed as if they were going clubbing and advised them to "keep the glow low".While Hansrot and Jacobs aren't the only invited designers, they both opted for blues and teal shades with hints of coral, Hangwani Nengovhela and others strayed away from surface-level marine life.Nengovhela was instead inspired by pearls. Her crème dresses with hand-stitched black scallops is what she calls "understated elegance"...

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