High praise from Thuli for ‘genius’ Gert at SA Fashion Week

06 April 2016 - 14:43

By Jessica Levitt

Gert-Johan‚ who has become synonymous with dressing high-profile public figures including Madonsela and Norma Gigaba‚ wife to Home Affairs Minister‚ Malusi Gigaba‚ has also gained a strong international reputation after dressing reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian and singer Kelly Rowland.

Madonsela‚ who sat front row at GJC Spring Summer 2016 presented by Visa‚ called him a genius. “It was awesome. It was world class. I like the variety both in terms of colour and style. Whatever you like‚ there was something for you‚” she told TMG Entertainment.

Speaking about their collaboration‚ Madonsela explained that the credit for her outfit on the night belongs to Gert-Johan. “He just told me that he has my measurements and he’ll make something and there it was. Designed‚ correct size and good choice of colour and style. I had nothing to do with it. But I was totally amazed”.

Madonsela stole the show in her green flared skirt and a lace bodice embellished with beads and Swarovski crystals. She wore a matching green headband. It’s not the first time her GJC design has garnered attention‚ with her yellow Victory Dress dominating headlines at the State of the Nation.

“What attracts me to young Gert is the fact that what Madiba said‚ “A good mind and a good heart make a good combination.” He’s really just a great human being to the world and he’s a genius when it comes to design.”

The inspiration behind Gert-Johan’s collection was ‘regal African queen’. Every year his collection has a theme and this year it was education. “The social conscious aspect of the show is education. Madiba said that “the strongest weapon in the world is education‚” and that’s why I think that the private sector should invest more in that.

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