Black Coffee Exemplifies Optimism, with an Upbeat, Modern and Easy to Wear Womenswear SS18 Collection

Black Coffee’s spring-summer 2018 womenswear collection called ‘Orbit’ was inspired by the intensity of the tumultuous 1960s and his second offering supported by Cape Wools SA. The collection was hallmarked by a combination of crisp colour bold embellishments and simple shapes. There were four menswear looks infused in this collection “I like doing menswear looks. I think when I started I did lots of menswear. It was kind of 50% menswear back in 1999, it is 20 years next year. So, I was doing 50% menswear then it kind of became more… you know I think the market kind of dictated what I made more of. So I dropped doing so much menswear.”  After his gender-neutral collection, Jacque says that he has not wanted to do menswear so we should expect to see more menswear from Black Coffee going forward. Even if it is in limited capsule collections.

“We called it Orbit. It is very strongly midcentury-inspired but very much like modern pieces, easy to wear. I wanted to have a little bit of fun. I also wanted it to be a little bit of a love letter to everybody about South African and all the changes that are happening. For people to enjoy it and go with it and have fun with it. Kind of like just a positive message because obviously in the 1960’s there was also this turmoil around people having to fight for what should naturally be theirs and righting wrongs of the past; and I feel like that is what is happening at the moment in the country and I just wanted to be joyful and happy” stated founder and creative director of Black Coffee, Jacques van der Watt.

Orbit by Black Coffee exemplifies this optimism, with an upbeat, modern and easy to wear range of pieces, distinctive as much for Jacque van der Watt’s structured tailoring as for his assemblage of knitwear and crochet, handmade tassels, laser cut applique, ribbon and custom lace embellishments. Watch video HERE