This week, I stumbled upon designer Lenneth Bowers, who is doing amazing things in the androgynous-fashion space.
Lenneth, 22, of Bellville, started his brand, Perseus Streetwear, in 2014 and uses pop-up shops to market his clothing before he uploads photos of a new collection to his website.
He has no formal training in fashion and entrepreneurship, but has been thinking about the idea for years before he plucked up the courage to bring his vision to fruition.
One of the tenets of this column is to always maintain comfort while still being stylish.
With that said, I am also a major fan of taking risks. Lenneth agrees and says one of the items he has designed is a crop top for men. Huh? Quizzically, I say: “Pray tell?”
“It defies the norm, and it doesn’t say anything about one’s sexuality,” he says. “It just shows how fashion has evolved. I believe everyone should be taking risks. Challenge yourself as many people like to play it safe.”
As I write this, I am wearing an oversized plaid men’s blazer, which I have paired with a pink polo neck, dark denims and black Wellington-style boots. I feel comfortable and chic.
Winter is in full-swing but that doesn’t mean we should not be playing around with colour.
With a lot of self-restraint, I have been scouring fashion outlets to see what the trend forecasters of these big brands are preaching.
I am loving the brightly coloured chunky knits and have been taunted by the yellow winter coat. I saw one that cost R2 000, but I am not willing to break the bank so my search continues.
Lenneth’s previous collections were mainly street-style designs, but he says he’s growing his brand and with his next collection wants to move his focus to more modern and vintage fashion.
For winter, he says, men can never go wrong with a good trench coat as you dress it up and down.
“Bomber jackets are also on trend. Men should not be afraid to wear vibrant colours. I am loving sky-blue at the moment, and definitely want to incorporate it into my next collection. Colour is a trigger, especially red which is dominating my wardrobe at the moment.”
One of things, that attracted me to Perseus Streetwear was a photo I saw of a woman wearing a pink tracksuit and her male counterpart wearing the same thing.
The only difference is the way they styled it. She wore a pair of killer black heels and he wore sneakers.
Practically, for winter, I think we all need some thermal underwear in our closet. I enjoy layering but as I have gotten older, I am opting to keep it more simplistic.
That is why I love a stylish coat that keeps me warm without having to wear layers upon layers of clothing underneath.
Forecasters are also hinting at the snood making a comeback this winter. I have always loved a good snood. However, I will stick to wearing the ones in my closet, which I bought back in 2013.
Fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester sums it up perfectly:
“Those that think my clothes are androgynous also still believe that women should look like Barbie dolls. That’s precisely the problem, the deep-rooted assumptions about what is feminine.”
Send your fashion tips to mika.williams@inl.co.za