For the next three weeks, City Press, in collaboration with spree.co.za, will be bringing some style to your holidays with a free and extremely fabulous collection of designer wrapping paper, inserted into each City Press for you to collect and use.
The first of the designers is Joburg-based Rich Mnisi, who has had a wildly successful year, particularly with his Spring/Summer 16 Spree collection.
Speaking to City Press this week, the 25-year-old designer says the print – a maroon, navy and white series of thick, flowing, overlapping lines – continues the theme of his Spree collection.
“That collection was really based on the elements of strength I’ve been exploring and what it means to be strong. At first I used an African giraffe to represent strength and grace, then it started taking form as hair and then started making itself into shapes, a wavey vibe, using strong, prominent colours to continue that idea of strength and grace.”
But, he says, the abstract lines mean the collection becomes what you want it to be, instead of what the designer intends it to mean. “I always try to make sure that I’m giving people the freedom to tell the story themselves, leaving the design up to their interpretation.”
His Christmas, Mnisi says, is fairly traditional. “We start cooking the day before. The next morning, we go to church, come back to finish off the cooking and then sleep, and every year I make the desserts.”
What would he like for Christmas this year? “That’s the hardest question I’ve ever been asked,” he says, laughing. “Part of me wants love, peace and prosperity, but the other part of me is like, I want all the things. But essentially, I would really love a great pair of jeans, and a white shirt, or five.”
Mnisi’s limited edition collection is still available at spree.co.za, so head there to buy some of his looks.
Who’s up next for our wrapping paper collection? None other than the eponymous Craig Native, so don’t miss it.