Nature is an eternal muse. Artists over the millennia have pulled inspiration from it and Lezanne Viviers is no different. The Karoo is a magical place that very few venture into. I mean there is so much wonder to behold. Paleontologists explore its land to find the remains of life that pre-dates us, the sky is an astronomer’s dream allowing the viewer to look into the sky with minimal light pollution. This is the springboard for Viviers as she pays homage to something so proudly South African on an international stage and the brand’s exhibition at the Latitudes Art Fair.

If you have never heard of the brand, let me give you a brief introduction. Viviers Studio is a brand founded by its creative director, Lezanne Viviers. She graduated from Elizabeth Galloway in Stellenbosch and worked her way up from being an intern to being the creative director at Marianne Fassler. She parted ways and launched her own brand in 2019. The brand roots itself in artisanal and sustainable craftsmanship with a clear focus on individuality. In 4 years, she has captivated many audiences consequently building a group she describes as “a group of like-minded individuals in artistic communities around the globe.” With such a fiery and purposeful trajectory, she has built the brand up to where we find ourselves, at this juncture.

When telling an international person about the Karoo, in pure ignorance, I would never say that it is a bountiful and resource laden place. The Karoo is dry, arid and cold. Extreme temperatures and barren lands are the basic descriptors of the landscape. This creates the paradox that Viviers uses as the springboard for the collection. “I always start with materials,” says Lezanne when she is describing her process. “In this case, I wanted to further explore and celebrate luxury raw material from South Africa, and I started investigating the origins of wool, mohair and Ostrich products.” On inspection you wonder about how that led to the Karoo. You realise that these products, “Cozy luxurious and comforting,” are the opulent fruits of the barren desert land.

The brand got to show the collection twice before the art fair, once in Milan and then at SA Fashion Week. When comparing the two showcases, the soundtrack is a poem that Lezanne wrote that has been translated into Nama, one of the languages of the Khoe-Kwadi tribe. The tribe that is indigenous to our land and has forever used the fruits of the land and Viviers derives inspiration from that. There are many lessons that Lezanne has taken from this creative exploration. She describes, “The Nama wisdom” and the “Ancient wisdom and healing energy” as things she admires and us as the audience to “become aware of it, to be present and to become still to experience this unconditional love.”

The collection is a birds eye view of a journey through the land of thirst. Our protagonist leaves the challenges of the city behind and in the end, they find a sense of renewal as described in the show notes. The ideas and ruminations are fully realised with the immersive designs. The brand uses film images taken by Viviers as prints in various iterations of silk and vintage rayon. There are expert fabric manipulations, artisanal embroideries, and meticulous craftsmanship that elevate every piece. Throughout this showcase, you get classic Viviers Silhouettes sprinkled throughout the collection, such as the cocoon coat, the floor length knit dresses, and the disc pants. Flowy silhouettes allow for the customer to mix and match pieces from previous collections, while eclectic statement pieces are thrown in that will have you among the best dressed of any event you attend.

An integral part of this story are the accessories. Viviers Studio, in the words of Lezanne, “was started with the aim to further the idea of the ‘Hub-of-the-Hand; This ecosystem of artists, artisans, and architects of ideas, worked together as cultural exchange.” This comes to life in Chic totes by Cape Cobra Leather Craft and jewellery by Kirsten Goss really round out this universe that we inhabit. There is a bit of cheekiness with the Shoprite bag babushka creating this intrusion that plastic does to the natural environment of the Karoo. Earrings and necklaces featuring fossils and homages to the minerals and stalactites are so intelligent. All of this brilliant, well thought craftsmanship really makes this such a standout in Milan and on the fashion week runway!

As a fashion enthusiast, I know a lot of us aspire to these international stages like Milan to spread our creativity to the world. It’s a kind of validation that enriches and informs anyone who’s been there. One of Lezanne’s revelations from the experience is that, “South Africa and Italy could offer each other incredible opportunities through the continues exchange of our cultures and different skill sets.” Coupled with an increased understanding of the business of fashion, it is clear that there is a widened outlook on the industry that is sprinkled throughout all of her answers. The mentorship during the Fashion Bridges experience has challenged Viviers “To articulate the brand better.” The experience has taught her “By communicating my personal values, interests, and heritage, people can understand our brand better.”

As we return to our city life after experiencing such wonder, Viviers leaves us with “new vibrance, an inner silence and a warm optimism.” The Karoo, something so dry, mysterious and neglected by South Africans, becomes a fantastical untapped place for inspiration. That is the true marvel to see and that you can witness yourself as an exhibition of South African Talent. The collection was an intelligent exercise and an excellent way to introduce Viviers to the world and I cannot wait to see what comes next from the burgeoning house