Mykki Blanco meets South Africa’s young queer creatives

Aged 16, Mykki Blanco left his small South Carolina town to move to NYC and become more than it would allow him to be. Having done that and then some, the performer, artist and iconoclast has recently journeyed to Johannesburg, South Africa for a new i-D film to meet the city’s vibrant queer creative community and hear their unique stories.

Directed by Matt Lambert, Out of this World explores the young South African artists using their platforms to negotiate the complex politics of gender, sexuality and identity in their society. From fashion designer Richard Mnisi to boundary pushing artists Umilio and FAKA, Mykki explores homophobia, changing concepts of masculinity and how the internet is empowering Johannesburg’s youth. It’s a beautiful, intimate portrait of a thriving scene.

Watch the full film below:

The Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town

Located in Cape Town's hipster quarter Woodstock, The Old Biscuit Mill is one of the nicest places to hang out. Every Saturday there is a neighbour goods market where you can choose from a huge variety of food and local treats. On the other corner there are stands where local designers sell clothing, jewelry and accessories.

The Old Biscuit Mill

The Mill is home to day and night markets, dynamic office space, a range of workshops and designer stores, delicious farm stalls, decadent restaurants as well as an inspiring line-up of festivals and productions. Come and explore the Mill and meet some of South Africa's most talented, innovative designers, artists, photographers, and connoisseurs of fine taste and decor. http://www.theoldbiscuitmill.co.za/

Tour through Langa

In August this year I was three weeks in Cape Town and most of my time I have spent in Langa. In Xhosa Langa literally means 'sun', but the name of the township is actually derived from the name Langalibalele – a famous chief who was imprisoned on Robben Island for rebelling against the government.
Langa is the oldest township in Cape Town, established in 1927 in terms of the 1923 Urban Areas Act. Langa is one of the many areas in South Africa that were designated for Black Africans before the apartheid era. During apartheid Langa was the location of much resistance.
In recent years, the township has started to be rejuvenated as the government has invested in improved infrastructure. The Guga 'S Thebe Cultural Centre was opened in 2005 and is now the site of many community and cultural activities.
It is in Guga 'S Thebe where our project takes place.
From Guga there are township tours  (Siviwe Tours) organized and it is something I can recommend as it is a good way to get to learn more about the community and history.
It was a pleasure to work in Langa and to meet the wonderful people. I hope that our project will make a little difference in their community. Cape Town is truly an amazing city working in Langa was something I will never forget.

Here is a little picture report of Langa.

Cape of Good Hope

yes yes yes 

Cape Town is known for it's spectacular surroundings and nature. During my stay in Cape Town I did had some days off to enjoy see the beauties this part of the earth has to offer. We drove to Cape of the Good Hope via Simon's Town which is also the home of the African Penguins. No visit to Cape Town is complete without visiting the Cape of God Hope. The nature is splendid, you can actually see ostriches, kudu's, baboons, flowers, ocean and more.

Hiking Table Mountain in style

One of the advantages of doing a project in Cape Town is the exquisite nature that surrounds. Table Mountain is an undeniable landmark that you just can't miss. The squared rock is the the first thing you see when you land and when you are in Cape Town it feels like everywhere you the mountain stares at you. So I took the hiking challenge, pretty naive as I dressed 'too stylish' for the 3,5h climb up and 1,5h heavy climb down. However I managed without ruining my outfit and shoes. It was worth the effort; the nature, the views and the clear blue skies are breathtaking.

Although pictures don't really express the real experience I share you some snaps.

KRJST at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2014

Encounter with KRJST, an emerging fashion brand from Brussels (Belgium) founded by designer Erika Schillebeeckx and Justine de Moriamé.

Who are you? Where do you come from? What is your field of specialisation?
KRJST was born in May 2012. Our brand is in the continuity of a Master’s Degree at La Cambre, in Brussels, where we met. We developed our creativity and learned to manage the different steps to create a collection, which requires endurance and dedication abilities to affirm and defend our opinions. We both are passionate about art on a more general level, and we both have different but complementary personalities. Justine has a tendency to produce more harmonious and detailed work, whereas Erika develops a more natural and experimental work. Since the establishment of our brand, some unbelievable people have joined the team; Pam Mertens, Monsieur Pimpant-Draftman and Sébastien Delahaye.

Your label is called KRJST. Where does the name come from? The KR from Erika And the JST from Justine.


How did you two end up working together? 
After we finished our scholarship at La Cambre. Both of us were thinking what to do after graduation; how to manage ourselves, our thoughts and our beliefs, our love for art and fashion. After some pondering, many cups of coffee, we realised that we share the same ideas for the future.

Do you have a philosophy for designing? 
KRJST arises from the confrontation of different artistic visions. Indeed, we think of ourselves as a platform that invites artists with various skills and backgrounds to the dialogue. The textile and graphic research, as well as the development of innovative techniques, is KRJST's rallying point through the high-end collections of ready-to-wear for men and women. Our philosophy is to be found in the symbiosis of the elements and people who are part of KRJST’s project.

What place or city do you find inspiring?
Tokio, it seems to us that it is the place where people dare the most.

Feeding the Ghosts is the name of your collection. 
Did you work on some personal encounters with ghosts throughout the process of designing this collection? 
The collection has been particularly nurtured by South-African artist William Kentridge and his work in which he reflects on his own country haunted by a “past that does not pass”, as well as on traumas and human condition in general. Through this way of thinking we worked the notion of Feeding the Ghosts as a message of resistance towards dominant culture and attest the will to give voice to the “ghosts” that history has forgotten.

South Africa functions as an important reflection point for your collection. What do you find fascinating about the country?
KRJST works with the ideas of transmission and rallying traditions like spirituality, music and reveries. We aim to get to know our past, to understand our traditions and beliefs. This is essential in order to go forward. South Africa could reflect our obsession with history and its leftovers that we try to translate artistically. There are the dual processes of deconstruction and reconstruction, as well as individualization and collectivization present. Individual stories, or clothes, are used to epitomize a common experience which can be revisited again and again to give them new meanings. Slavery, life on the plantations, Apartheid legacies are all part of the haunting past that has given birth to this collection. Feeding the Ghosts alludes to such experiences, it reveals scars left by the past and exploits the ambiguous feelings that are linked to history(ies).