STADIO School of Fashion - Graduation Collection

Look 1

Two-Piece Bull-Denim Ensemble

Cropped Varsity Jacket paired with Straight Leg Trousers with Extended Waistband & Front Leg Inverted Box Pleats.

Look 2

Sleeveless Maystate-Wool Dress with Knife Pleats Front paired with Bull Denim Coat (Lapel Variation)

Look 3

Classic Womens Shirt with Bell Sleeves and Cropped Back paired with Wool-Front Skirt with Collection Print Pleated Back

Credits:

Designer - Klein Muis/ @klnmuis

Photographer - Hlengi Welala/ @hlengiwelala

MUA & Stylist - Tisetso Bernards/ @tiib3rn4rds

Muse - Refiloe Mookelesti/ @refiloe_mookeletsi

A Different Dream - Short Story

Down the empty alley behind school, we hear Rhodes fishtailing downhill to save his life. His bmx has no breaks and is barely aligned, it was never meant to go this fast. “This is all her fault” thinks Rhodes; remembering he’d been warned to stay away from her but he just couldn’t resist. Now he’s doing his best Frank Ocean impression to bike as fast as he possibly can so those envious prefects don’t try and catch him high off of two joints. Nevertheless, he has no intention of changing his ways, “She’s different” he says, “she’s not like the others, she gets me.” As he makes his way downtown onto the main way along the beach. He knows he’s in the clear but this means nothing because no matter how fast he tries to run, eventually he’ll have to go home and by now his mother already knows what had happened. Whichever way he decided to roll the dice, every combination he threw would end him up in trouble. He thinks, although his punishment is inevitable he can escape the consequences for as long as humanly possible by cycling around town aimlessly.

As Rhodes continues down the beach way he hears a little boy scream “My kite! Help, someone stop my kite!” Carried through the wind, this beautiful orange kite, well-made of thin strips of timber and ribstop nylon, floats through the air, aimlessly, directionless and as peaceful as possible. A beautiful kite, he begins to follow the kite in hopes of returning it to the boy. He flows with the kite in a harmonious display of imitation, his bike sways with the kite left, then right, then forward, then back. “Eina laaitie! Kyk waar ry jy” exclaims an old man who Rhodes had careened into following the kite “Sorry meneer, is net daai kite. Ek soek dit”. “Wees net versigtig waar jy ry.” Rhodes examines the older man, his eyes are low, blue around the sockets, his hairline receded far beyond its original position, shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world rested on them. The man exuded pain and regret. Rhode’s curious nature led him to ask the man “Wat’s vout meneer? Jy lyk asof jy doen almal se werk. Is meneer alright?” the man chuckles as he responds “Nee, ek is heel wat alright laaitie, is net die lewe wat n bietjie baie kan wees.” “Hoe so?” asks Rhodes. “Ek kan sien jy is nou op jou laste paar jare van adolessensie en dit is nou amper tyd om groot te word” the man continues, “Kry jouself iets te doen wat jou elke oggend wakker maak met a glimlag en elke aand aan die slap maak met ligte skouers. Geld isie belangrik nie, maar jou gelukigheid is.” Rhodes looks at the man confused, responding “Ok meneer ek gaan probeer.” Without fully understanding what the man was trying to say Rhodes was back on his bike chasing the orange kite. The winds had begun to blow the kite into town but nevertheless he was determined to retrieve the little boy’s kite. As Rhodes continued to follow the kite he contemplated the words of the older man. He was so full of energy, so happy and stress free never did he ever want to look like that or bare any of the burdens that that man had but the stranger’s words rung like the 7:30 school bell through his ears. How much time did he have left to find something to do after school, even in his naivety Rhodes understood that eventually the party would be done. Eventually school would end, he didn’t care for any of his subjects. He was bang average at all of them and couldn’t seem to keep his eyes open in class for longer than 20 minutes. As the kite began to whiz through the narrow streets of downtown, its movements became erratic and sudden. Rhodes had followed suit.

Rhodes determination for this kite was so focused like nothing he’d ever done before. He was committed to retrieving it and returning it to the little boy on the beach. He couldn’t answer why this was so important but he knew it was important. As the kite continued to fly through town it flew unceremoniously over a minimalistic fence that belonged to the building right next to it. On the front read “JJ Lawyers – Here To Save The Day” Rhodes looked around and peered over the fence to find the kite nestled nicely on a bench, next to a big apple tree that bear no fruit. He assessed his options, how would he get the kite back? He tried jumping the fence but it was too high, he tried screaming over the fence but no one listened so eventually he went to the front door shaking as he entered the building. It was so well organised and structured, everything was as it were supposed to be. As he stumbled to the front desk, he began; “He..he..Hello, my name is Rhodes and my brother’s kite accidentally flew over your wall and I just wanted to retrieve it”. He has never felt so nervous and out of place in his life, nothing felt right about this but he needed the kite back. He needed to complete this mission. As our protagonist stood there with a backpack on his back and coming off of his high, the lady behind the desk sized him up and said “If it’s your kite it’s okay to admit it, there’s nothing wrong with flying kites even at your big age.” as she chuckled. “No, seriously it’s not mine but I just need to back.” said Rhodes. The receptionist smiled, pointed to an automatic door she had just opened and said “Follow me.”

She had a very strong energy to her. She seemed focused, successful and motivated. Rhodes wondered if she really enjoyed this job or if it just paid well. His curiosity got the best of him and he asked “So are you lawyer?” she replied “Yes I am, I’m not usually at the front desk but the guy who usually works that position isn’t here right now.” Rhodes continued his line of inquiry; “Do you like what you do?” ”I do, it’s a lot of arduous work but I do, I really do. The money is good, and the benefits are great.” “Did you just wake up one day, decide to do it or was there method to it?” as Rhodes asks this question, they pass a room filled with cubicles no bigger than 2m by 2m and so many hands typing simultaneously it’s hard to believe anyone can get any work done in such an environment. There was an immense feeling of claustrophobia that exuded all throughout the open plan, high-ceiling room. The lady continues “I mean to be quite honest I’m here because it’s an industry that offered job security, I just wanted to do something and know I’d get paid for that.” “So, if you had the choice to do something else, would you do it?” asked Rhodes, “Of course, I mean I believe that life isn’t definitive and this doesn’t have to be something I do forever, it’s just something I’m doing right now. One day, I’ll have the money to do whatever I want.” Rhodes whispers to himself; “That’s what they all say.” As they approach the little backyard in the office Rhodes sees the kite, resting so peacefully on the concrete bench under that bear apple tree. Finally, he retrieved the kite. Finally, he can return it to its rightful owner. The lady asks, “Are you happy to be reunited with your kite?” Rhodes responds excitingly; “Very!” “So, it is yours! It’s okay, some people might find it silly to hold onto childhood mementos but those are just people who so badly miss theirs. Cherish yours, understand yours and build onto it. You never know what could happen.” Rhodes wanted to correct the lady and remind her the kite did not belong to him but now he wasn’t too sure about that. Had this been his all along? As he followed its harmonious flight, it looked eerily similar to the one he had when he was growing up. “Thank you for your wisdom.”

In that moment, Rhodes felt a little less confused. He felt a little less fearful of his consequences at home. There was a sense of purpose to him and the kite now. As the lady escorted him out of the office, the sense of claustrophobia he felt walking in had dissipated. He felt lighter with the kite in his hand. Rhodes quickly jumped on his bike, tied the kite to his right handlebar and proceeded to head back to the beach. He never flew like he did in that moment because as the kite swayed so effortlessly through the wind, so did he. He zipped and zoomed through the narrow streets with ease and control, admiring the shadow of the kite as the sun began to cast light onto his back. As he made his way to the beach, he searched the entire strip looking for the boy, but couldn’t find him anywhere. The boy had left and had left without his kite. After awhile, Rhodes gave into this idea and retired on a bench overlooking an empty playground. The beach had begun to empty, no one was there but Rhodes and his orange ribstrip nylon kite. The kite still continued to float effortlessly. Rhodes starred long and purposefully at the kite, realising that the kite now belonged to him and it was his job make sure nothing ever happened to this kite. Rhodes was enthralled at this level of autonomy. He came to understand what this orange kite could represent in his own life. How his growing doesn’t have to mean forgetting. The child within him still wanted to chase after the kite. The child in him never wants to stop chasing after the kite.