Last week Thursday I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Cape Town based brand LABEL Collection’s Autumn/Winter line of designs for 2016.
The collection is a beautiful mix of timeless clothing and the brand upholds an ethical focus on sustainability and empowerment; definitely the discerning consumer’s paradise in a nutshell.
Perusing the store, I came across plush tweeds, charming jewellery pieces, structured colour-block coats and rich maroon, all of which beckon to a winter spent in the lap of luxury. The campaign for the winter line plays on the theme of a sumptuous picnic party and I was befittingly treated to picnic-style canapés and the like.
Guests were also able to sample from Cointreau’s cocktails at the bar outside the boutique – I indulged in a non-alcoholic ‘mocktail’, of course, with some additions of grapefruit and mint. If you didn’t know that I don’t drink alcohol, now you know :). Turns out what I assumed to be lemonade was actually soda water – but I was so thirsty and the beverage looked so pretty that I humbly obliged to drink the concoction, promising myself that I was being extremely healthy.
Nadia Turton, the creative mind behind the collection, has now sought to utilise her resources in a quest to empower South Africa’s bright young minds. Read on to understand more about how you can do your bit to get involved and help deserving children in need: –
If you are unaware of a little place by the name of ‘Wesbank’ – it is a diverse township situated nearby to Kuilsrivier. Wesbank is notorious for its reputation of gang-related violence that is associated with the whopping 70-80% unemployment rate. There are many other issues that are sprung from the violence and crime – social and educational issues being at the core of the bad apple. “We are talking about all the social related ills that affect such an area,” the school’s principal, Greg Gordon remains dedicated to uplifting the situation for his pupils. He adds with dismay, “We have a number of learners who have the potential to achieve but are stymied by their environment.”
Principal Gordon was previously at the St James Primary School, and it was here that his paths crossed with the lovely Kyoko Morgan, founder of ‘Origami for Africa’. At the time, she was assisting the St James Primary School with the Peoples Education Support Fund. Since then Principal Gordon and Kyoko maintained contact and the two were able to organize for Kyoko to now teach her origami skills to the children of Wesbank every week.
Origami exposes these children not only to something educational, but also to a diverse form of practicing an ancient mystical art that hails from Japan. It is a beautiful way to engage with students and gift them with a sense of being able to do things which others will admire and laud. Practicing the origami on a weekly basis provides the Wesbank kids with a structured routine, paving the foundation for discipline and growth that is severely lacking in today’s generation of learners.
The unfortunate bit that comes with any non-profit organization, however, is that resources are never enough. Wesbank No. 1 Primary school students are deserving of the necessary tools to equip them for a bright future, but they do not have the required funding to get themselves to this crucial point. A major concern to Principal Gordon is the severe lack of sufficient books in the school’s library. “While we have a small school library, children have to walk across the bridge to Delft to seek books, which is both dangerous and quite a distance away,” says Gordon. The school’s library is presently seen to by a parent who looks after the 4 500 books that the library houses. This may sound like a lot of books, but the number of books fall short of a recommended 13 000-18 000 books that Wesbank No. 1 is supposed to be keeping in the library.
What you need to know: LABEL will be taking advantage of the momentum of Youth Day and showcasing over a hundred various origami pieces until the 19th of June. You can head over to the boutique in the Point Mall, Sea Point and have a look at the beautiful paper pieces in the boutique’s windows.
The amazing thing about this is that children who are attending the Wesbank No.1 Primary School have crafted all of these origami pieces with the help of their caring teachers like Morgan to guide them along. Each origami piece will be available for sale for R20 each – all proceeds are contributed towards the purchase of books for the school’s library.
It is so imperative that these children enjoy reading and savour the luxury that has become good education with a caring principal and teacher like Morgan. Reading empowers and uplifts the Youth – it is what sparks ideas that turn into actions, which then turn into habits. I know it may sound like a bit of hyperbole, but reading truly does mark the line between those who know and those who don’t. Do we not want to be one of those who can place that book in the hands of a child so that their hands are too occupied (and their minds are too enlightened) for them to make the choice of holding a gun instead?
You can pop in to LABEL collections boutique store at anytime until the 19th of June to purchase an origami piece, or you could even assist by donating a book to the Wesbank No. 1 Primary School – all you have to do is bring it in to LABEL and Nadia will see to it that all of the books are placed in the school’s capable care.
Important details:
LABEL Collections –
2nd floor, The Point Mall
Sea Point
Cape Town
Telephone: +27 21 434 1599
Website: http://labelcollections.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @LabelCollection
Instagram: @label_collections
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LabelCollections
Press Enquiries –
Exposed By Her
Michelle Hodgkinson
Email: [email protected]
Cell phone: +27 82 332 1366
“LABEL with a Cause” – A worthy initiative for Youth Day 2016 Last week Thursday I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Cape Town based brand LABEL Collection’s Autumn/Winter line of designs for 2016.