Cape Town Fashion Week interview: Maya Prass

Maya Prass has built a strong reputation in South Africa for her approach to womenswear that matches creativity with wearability. Having made the transition from emerging talent to established designer in recent years she continues to impress local fashionistas with her flair for prints, colour and progressive silhouettes. I caught up with her a couple of days after Cape Town Fashion Week to get the background behind her collection and approach:

Please describe your spring/summer collection? This summer’s collection , named ‘Somewhere beyond the sea’, was inspired by the sea and all related themes, such as ocean animals and flora, mermaids, pirates, voyages of discovery, and new uncharted territories with exotic imaginary cultures and landscapes. There is a strong nautical influence both in colour and styling, with garment details such as sailor pants and eyelet details on dresses and jackets. the colour palette was interpreted in three sections: a nautical section of red, white, blue, black and gray; a soft, vintage section with pastel colours and gold, and a bright, vibrant colour section inspired by exotic tropical flowers, combined with black. Each print represents a different interpretation of this theme, from a damask like graphic made up of sea animals and a Victorian wallpaper inspired print with flowers made up of fish fins to a scarf print inspired by South American carvings and a toile inspired print made up of mermaids, ships and a forest scene. Garments are soft, slouchy and layered the look is layed- back and comfortable but totally unique.

How long does a collection take to create and can you describe the phases you go through to produce it?

A collection can take up to a year to put together. It begins with the development of the concept and extensive research, once that is complete, I begin building the colour palette and conceptualizing the prints (this is often happening while the previous collection is being put to bed). Once the prints have been thought through I begin work with my textile artist, who develops the prints following all my research material and instructions. The prints are then put on screen, fabrics are over dyed and printed, and in the meantime I am finalising the shapes and styling for the garments and making patterns. As this process gets going we begin making our sample collection.

How much do you look at international fashion trends before starting a collection?

I think it’s impossible to not be affected by international trends, but they are not the focus of my work. I believe in global consciousness so I think there are trends that will inevitably be in my work whether I research them or not. I have international designers whose work I admire and look at, in magazines and online, and obviously this has an influence on my styling but when I decide on a theme for a collection it is a very personal and instinctive process and I don’t look to make sure it fits in with the latest trends.

What local/uniquely South African inspirations go into your collection?

I believe that every creative person is directly influenced by their environment, and I don’t believe I would be the same designer if I lived somewhere else so I think south africa is a huge part of my work, but not necessarily in an obvious ‘African’ way.

Are there any non-fashion sources for inspiration in your collection?

I do a lot of research for each collection, in books and online, a very small part of the research is on actual clothing. I do a lot of textile research and looking into different aspect of the theme, for example for this collection I looked at sea creatures and plants, mythology connected to the ocean, pirates, south American art, art deco design and architecture, ships, knot tying, nautical symbols, and I photographed the ocean at different times of the day for colour inspiration. I also looked at fashion history and costume for shape and detail inspiration. I think non- fashion research is an integral part of creating a unique collection.

How do you go about sourcing fabrics/materials? What do you look for?

Fabric sourcing is a big problem in South Africa, so 6 years ago I decided to start generating my own fabric through dying and printing. I think it’s very important to do this, as it is the only way to have a truly unique identity. All of my base fabrics are sourced locally, although most of them are imported by our local fabric suppliers. I look for natural fibers, mostly cotton, linen and silk these are then over dyed and printed with the exclusive prints I develop for each collection.