Gala Networking Dinner & Fashion Show

Click here to register for the International Mohair Summit

The Miyuki Awards

Miyuki Keori has sponsored a competition for the South African Mohair producers (farmers) for the past 30 years. The competition is for the best classed mohair clip (summer and winter) with the aim of improving the presentation and quality of the South African Mohair Clip.

Winners to be announced from 2009 Miyuki finalists:

A C Fitzhenry
F E Colborne
I R Bekker
J L Retief & Son
Snyberg Angoras - Messrs GT & W Ferreira
Vleikuil Boerdery - Mnr B Snijman

Miyuki Keori and 30 years of South African Mohair

It is important to note that the Japanese culture is a very formal and proud one and suits are the daily work attire irrespective of what position you hold. Wool and cashmere are traditionally worn in winter while mohair is the traditional summer suiting. Miyuki Keori Miyuki Holdings is a group listed on the Tokyo stock exchange. Miyuki Keori is a top end fabric weaver in Japan who is responsible for manufacturing top quality suiting.

Miyuki supply various suite manufactures globally and most of these fall into the top end price range.

Miyuki Keori has sponsored a competition for the South African Mohair producers (farmers) for the past 30 years. The competition is for the best classed mohair clip (summer and winter) with the aim of improving the presentation and quality of the South African Mohair Clip.

They have joined forces with Mohair South Africa and a South African Fashion Designer, Christiaan Erasmus, to dress the Protea cricket team in a three phase project of which this is the second phase.

Christiaan was the only South African designer to be selected to show at the recent United Nations charity fashion show in London on the 6th March 2009. British Telecoms (BT) sponsors the UNICEF show. 40% of his collection consisted of Miyuki Mohair fabric sponsored by Mohair South Africa. He was the only designer that showed menswear at this event!

The last phase in this project is for Christiaan to supply a mohair collection which will be made available via his network or retail clients through out SA. See www.christiaanerasmus.co.za

Christiaan dresses amongst others the TV presenters on Summit TV, Mamelodi Sundowns (soccer team in South Africa), Freek Robinson of Fokus, and Supersport Football club (current league champions).

The Gala Networking Dinner will include a Fashion Show Featuring the following designers:

Lunar

Lunar is the lifestyle vision of fashion designer Karen Ter Morshuizen. Her partnership with Paul Harris saw the conception of a lifestyle store offering unique nature inspired merchandise.

Since it´s inception Lunar has been sensitive to environmental concerns, making use, almost exclusively of natural fibres and pigment dyes. Each collection reflects their essential design philosophy.

« Lunar is about finding inspiration in the small things around us, and emphasizing an appreciation for our environment. »

Karen enjoys reviving old-fashioned techniques: hand knitting, smocking, felting, African beading and hand embroidery. These crafts are often interpreted into uncomplicated clothes in luxurious fabrics with understated detailing and intelligent cutting. The result is a couture approach to ready-to-wear fashion.

With these principles Lunar aspires to enter the global market where they can reach a larger audience with their message and continue to contribute, educate and inspire. Lunar has persevered on the eco side of fashion design to be able to incorporate the principles of recycling, organic dyeing and fair trade. Although they feel they are nowhere near where they would like to be, every step is in the right direction.

Stores

44 Stanley Ave
Milpark
Johannesburg
Tel: +27 11 726 5558
Fax: +27 11 726 5559
e-mail: enquiries lunarlife.co.za

10 Cavendish Road
Claremont
Cape Town
Tel: +27 21 674 6871
Fax: +27 21 674 6872
e-mail: enquiries lunarlife.co.za

Web site: www.lunarlife.co.za
E-mail: karen@lunarlife.co.za and LUNAR Clothing
Contact: Karen Ter Morshuizen and Paul Harris.

Josef Greeff

2009 Heralds the International Year of the Natural Fibre and mohair, the white gold from the Eastern Cape, is set to dazzle consumers with its new image and brilliant allure.

As a direct result of the marketing initiatives of the Marketing and Promotions Manager of Mohair South Africa, Mrs Jackie Gant and her team, a brand new mohair collection focussed on the interior decorating market(home-wear), will be launched at the Mohair Summit in Graaff- Reinet in November later this year.

The services of the multi-talented and award winning product developer, Josef Greeff, from JA Greeff Designs and his team in Port Elizabeth, was called upon to guide and to give format to the new look.

New Creative input

Josef Greeff has an amazing string of successes to his creative bow and is hailed in the innovative décor and design circles with enormous acclaim, having won the ‘Best on Show’ award for his Design Africa stand at Decorex, the interior decorating trade show in 2008 and almost taking top honours at Rooms on View in the same year.

‘As a specialist designer and product developer, Josef has taken South African Crafts to new levels. Seeing the reaction to his outstanding creativity and exceptional work from members of the design trade and public alike, I have already approached Josef to curate the ever popular South Africa house at Rooms on View in 2010,’said Sumari Krige , Owner of Rooms on View and La Grange Interiors.

‘Josef understands that what people need now is to make emotional connections and to be surrounded by things that mean something. More than ever we want to be comforted by beauty, by quality, great craftsmanship and eco-conscious design. The successful exhibitor understands that we live in an Age of Aesthetics and that good design transforms both culture and economics,’ were the comments from the judges at Decorex where he displayed the craft and art work from African artists from as far afield as Ghana.

The industry is extremely fortunate to acquire his services as he is perfectly poised to help with product development with a creative and commercial slant. Prior to his involvement with mohair, Josef was instrumental in guiding crafters from the wool industry to develop products suitable for the international export market. The Felt4u product range that includes handbags, felt balls, cushion covers and many other exciting home wear and personal products has established itself internationally after intervention and guidance from him.

Josef has also been instrumental in developing new products from a wide range of craft disciplines and the technical skills that he acquired as a trained fashion designer and later as a product developer at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in the fibre and textile division has enabled him to guide manufactures to new design visions with great commercial success.

The New Mohair Range:

Josef Greeff has been tasked to select eight South African mohair manufactures to be selected from small to large enterprises and to guide and initiate a range of new and novel mohair products to be launched at the Summit in November in Graaff- Reinet.

His brief is to use the inherent qualities of mohair and to use nature for inspiration to develop local skills to create products worthy of the export market.

The selected companies will be assessed and guided through workshops where certain criteria will be put into place to assist them to produce products of excellence.

These products will be assessed and selected on merit for possible inclusion for international trade shows such as Heimtex or Maison and Object in Paris in 2010.

There could be no better exposure for this beautiful natural fibre from the Eastern Cape than the international stages of the world where it belongs.

Josef Greeff is an independent thinker with international exposure and a wide creative vision. The mohair industry is excited to have this creative genius on board and look forward to a transformation of great dimension.

Promotional Video

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