“It also might be safe to assume that his rapidly growing following can be attributed to his ability to capture the imaginations of fashion fiends, opening their minds to a world where elaborate sleeves and exaggerations are no longer a thing of avant-garde runway looks and where your garments have a personality of their own.”
It’s no secret that I am obsessed with Matte Nolim as far as SA designers go and I’ve had the honour of being ‘sleeved by Matte Nolim’ (yes that’s a thing).
The Matte Nolim aesthetic is known for its modern minimalism and is a brand that doesn’t aim to cater to an age group but rather a young mindset. He has recently released his SS16/17 lookbook titled ‘Waves’ and the looks from this collection were showcased at the MBFWJ in August.
One thing that I definitely know goes without saying is his authenticity and contemporary designs. It also might be safe to assume that his rapidly growing following can be attributed to his ability to capture the imaginations of fashion fiends, opening their minds to a world where elaborate sleeves and exaggerations are no longer a thing of avant-garde runway looks and where your garments have a personality of their own. On top of all this, it’s very significant for his designs to be compared to the likes of another revered South African designer, Rich Mnisi. I would even go on to compare his looks to that of Vetements, but that is just in my humble, rudimentary opinion. These aforementioned brands are renowned for taking high fashion to the streets and using unconventional silhouettes. What sets Matte apart from the rest, as I mentioned before, is his capacity to give us creative looks that still offer clean, modern minimalism.
My hope is that Matte Nolim continues to hone his craft and push boundaries in terms of aesthetics and keep reintroducing us to new concepts that are well within our reach.
Xo.
Lookbook deets
Photographer: Aart Verrips/ @aartverrips_official
Model: Eden Bonger/ @edentenibonger
Make up: Renton Wade/ @rentonwade
Designer: Matte Nolim/ @Matte_Nolim
