The sound system might have disappointed many concertgoers during Anthony Hamilton’s performance in Sandton on Saturday night, but the US crooner shone in a bespoke creation by local fashion designer Ronny Mahlakwane.
Mahlakwane, known for his label LSJ Designs, said he was still in disbelief that he got to dress the Grammy winner.
The 31-year-old said his label had come a long way since its launch from a back room in Tembisa, seven years ago.
“Everything started sinking in on Sunday. It somehow all felt like a dream,” Mahlakwane said.
“It’s one of the moments that is going to go down in history books — as someone who didn’t even study fashion and has been doing this for seven years now.
“Starting in a back room in Tembisa when no-one believed that I was going to dress celebrities— and when I said I’m going to be known for doing it, nobody believed me. So this comes after I have been putting in hard work after all these years.”
Mahlakwane, who hails from Moroke village near Burgersfort in Limpopo, has dressed local stars including Nomuzi “Moozlie” Mabena, Nomalanga Shozi, Sipho “Alphi” Mkhwanazi, Reason, Lunathi Mampofu, Penny Lebyane, Nonkanyiso “LaConco” Conco and Gigi Lamayne.
He used scuba crepe material (a sturdy but stretchable blend of polyester and spandex) for the burnt orange suit the Charlene hit-maker donned on stage.
“We had the conversation with my friend Lerato Matsoso, who is in close contact with Anthony’s team. His stylist was looking for local designers to work with, and we did a moodboard of ideas that would work for him. From then, he was happy with the moodboard and we were ready to go through with it,” Mahlakwane said.
“We were looking for something that screams modern, but was also uniquely African. The colour was very important so that it could shine on stage at night. We didn’t use a typical suit material. We needed something he could breathe in and move freely as he was dancing.
“The fitting was great. We did three outfits for him. The other one, he said, he’s going to wear for a music video, and will take the other one back to the US. I had anxiety when I was going to meet him. I was scared, and a lot was going through my mind. But he was so nice and humble. He understands who he is and how people feel when they meet him, so he was welcoming.
“Even when we had to do alterations, he was just fine and happy. He made me feel like I’ve known him for years.”
Hamilton said: "LSJ is a budding designer with so much passion and inspiration to the fashion world. It was such an honour to have met him and I look forward to wearing his designs on stages that give me the freedom to express style and swagger."
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