David Tlale at NYFW 2015

Showing at New York Fashion Week isn’t a new feat for David Tlale – this Sunday he unveiled his solo collection inside the tent positioned outside Manhattan’s Lincoln Centre for the sixth time – and with each step of the runway, he’s coming into his own as an influential African designer on an international platform.

The chatter among those in the front row after Tlale showcased his Spring 2015 Collection, on the coldest day New York has seen this year (-11°C with a freezing cold wind), was filled with appreciation for the mixed materials and patterns Tlale used to present the 42 looks.

“I’ve been coming to the past couple of shows, and he just keeps getting better. The material and patterns may change, but the elegance is always there,” said one fashion week goer. “I love the way he works with textures,” added his friend. “Some of the gowns, I thought, were very strong. I would love to see him develop that, because there’s something going on there that’s amazing.”

Tlale said he looked to the theme of the aftermath of a volcano for his inspiration, evident in the splashes of golden lava against black beads on a shift dress and the plunging back-lines of a silk crepe maxi dress that called to mind molten rifts. “They are very sophisticated pieces; timeless,” he said, with the calm of a man who is vocal about the role faith has played in his career.

“We’re continuing to play with the idea of taking a woman from the boardroom to a cocktail party to a red carpet,” the designer explained. Only now, says Tlale, he’s become better at tightening the overall look and becoming focused on what works for the US market. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but what we’ve been able to do is improve our fabrications, our colourations, and become relevant to the market.”

The US market wants something different, but simplicity is key. “The collection is built around individual pieces and how they can be mix-and-matched. For a US customer, it’s not about the frills and the feathers,” he said. The attention to detail and, as always with Tlale, the drama, are still there – from the black ostrich feathers lining a black hyde pencil skirt to the silk brocade finishing on a dress-up jacket. Tlale knows what sets him apart, and he’s not about to change his approach now.

But it’s a toned down approach that Tlale envisions will soon take its place among US stores. “We’ve been asked by some of the major retailers to see our look book,” he says. “That doesn’t happen all the time. Some designers have to show 10 or 15 times before that even begins to happen. We’re starting to become that brand that has presence. It’s just a matter of time before we’re out there in the major retailers.”

Words:   Nadia Neophytou
Images:  Getty Images & David Tlale
Media:    MBFW