Musgrave rolls out new mall

DURBAN’S Musgrave Centre finally shed its hoity-toity kugel image this week at the relaunch of the mall.

The former grande dame of Berea, the retail home of Durban’s upper crust for decades, hosted tenants and selected clients ata red-carpet party on Tuesday night.

RETAIL RANDS: The mall was built in the 1950s, and in 2010 the owners, the SA Corporate Real Estate Fund, sank a lot of money into a turbulent two-year restoration and revamp project. With the renovations finally complete, Tuesday’s event took the form of a clever musical of the history of Durban, Berea and the centre. The vibey and entertaining show was put together by Makulu Productions.

FOOT NOTE: The ramp in the middle of the first floor, where the party was held, was not ideal — guests were squashed against shop windows, and standing room only meant that watching the show was somewhat uncomfortable. The centre’s bubbly manager, Nisha Kemraj, was the evening’s only speaker. Kemraj, who was seconded from Gateway to champion the revamp, spoke honestly about having to deal with irate tenants who were ready to throw tomatoes every time management appeared during the revamp. But her pride in the “newlook super mall” was evident — and she warned Gateway to watch out.

OVERALL: @Despite a guest falling flat on her face after tripping over one of the mobile stages, it was an evening of celebration — and the open bar ensured everyone was in high spirits.

FASHION and fun were key at the annual Durban July Fashion Showcase cheese and wine at Greyville Racecourse on Wednesday night.

The event is usually held two weeks before the Durban July — and is a precursor to the hedonism on race day.

MATERIAL CHALLENGE: This year’s fashion theme was a response to the world’s environmental challenges.

Fashionistas, designers and the families of competing designers warmed up on red and white wines paired with a selection of all things cheesy, before taking their seats for the catwalk magic. Guests were treated to weird, wacky, sublime and sleek couture creations in three categories: one for 10 young fashion-design students; the second for a mixture of 10 amateur or professional designers; and the third for eight invited couturiers.

Outfits were fashioned from materials ranging from telephone wires to carrier bags, melted plastic bottes and weaves, and the names of the winners will be announced on race day.

FIELD DAY: Among the guests were a number of models who stood out like prize-winning fillies — not because of their height, but because of their daring outfits. Among those were Neetasha Singh — a finalist in the Eastern Mosaic presenter search — who was hard to miss in a leopard-print number, and former Miss India Globe winner Kerusha Kisten, who made an impression in a red mini.

OVERALL: The fashion feast left guests eager to start planning their own outfits for July 7.