Fashion icon David Tlale talks to IOL
Designer takes collaborator Metro FM's credo to heart as he focuses on building a formidable lifestyle brand. (VIDEO)
|||IOL interviewed South Africa’s most celebrated designer David Tlale about his collaborations with Metro FM’s (Music Meets Fashion), underwear brand Jockey, Spree and his plans to develop a formidable lifestyle brand. Kelebogile Nondzaba chatted with him.
What is it about the MetroFM brand that made you keen to do their Music Meets Fashion event?
“Metro is a tried and tested brand. A lifestyle brand which speaks volumes on its own. It is a station I grew up listening to, (and support) to this day and I have seen how it has grown and evolved to maturity just like my brand. Metro has also always taken care of my brand with interviews and the lifestyle including promoting excellence in the creative industry”.
What are you looking most forward to about the event?
“I’m looking forward to the fusion of music and fashion, which is really amazing and I hope and pray that our musicians will lift it up and come to the party and wear beautiful couture dresses for the black carpet. But more than anything else I am looking forward to the music awards themselves. My favourite local artist currently is Nathi (Buyel’ekhaya) and I don’t know why, but there is just something about his music and I am really looking forward to his performance.”
“I think part of my excitement about Nathi is that we have just started a collaboration where we dress him as an artist. However, I am also looking forward to dressing the other musicians as well as experiencing how music in South Africa has evolved across all genres.”
Can you spill some information about your collaboration with Jockey, since you have teased it on Instagram?
It’s a major breakthrough as a brand for the simple reason that we are becoming a lifestyle brand and we don’t want just to be seen as a clothing brand. People don’t just associate underwear with fashion, but it is the basic thing you need before you put on your fashion gown. A tiny little sneak into it is to say we are going to make Jockey fabulous and fashionable.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
“My inspiration varies from time to time and I have made a decision in my life to wake up with passion and purpose and go to bed with reflections. Also to know that it can be done and to continue growing and dreaming.“
You considered by many to be SA’s leading designer. What gives David Tlale his winning edge?
“I totally agree with Metro FM that we are not done just like legends say that they are not done instead they ask what is next. So as a brand 14 years later in the industry we feel like we have just begun, because now we are doing what we love which is commanding trends, a particular lifestyle, a price point and a particular clientele.
“We have developed a diffusion line. We have David Tlale, which is high end and now we want to introduce this new line which will be called David by David Tlale. It is going to be fabulous and amazing and every woman must have a piece of this line, as the price points are going to be very reasonable. It is not crappy quality - it is going to be good quality with good finishing. We are going to be telling a story with this collection and we are going to introduce our own print which is what your are going to see with this particular brand. We are launching it next month on the 2nd of March and it is going to be fabulous. So please do come and enjoy yourselves!