Fashion Merger 

We've reached the resting phase of Fashion Week season and as expected, Leizel returned home with a gleaming smile and new wardrobe! The unexpected? As clotheshorses trotted down the ramp at SA Fashion Week to showcase the 2013 Autumn/Winter collections, we couldn't help but notice some not-so-new designs. 

22 year-old fashion blogger and enthusiast, Aisha Baker is fast becoming a recognised fashion face. Having been featured in Glamour, Elle, Seventeen and 36 Magazine and with over 300 members on her blog, 1300 Facebook fans and 2000 Twitter followers, she is definitely one to note! And that's not all The stylish fashionista is a dedicated Business Science (Marketing) student. And though she would love the opportunity to explore the fashion industry at a later stage in her life, right now, she's set on commerce. Her stylish blog features everything fashionable, from her favourite looks, eventful weekend outings and style icons to killer ensembles that she compiles herself. 

Contact Details: 

Website: www.bakedtheblog.com

Twitter: @bakedtheblog 

How have SA fashion designers been influenced by London fashion trends this season?
International fashion weeks, whether new york, london or paris influence us strongly since they're a season ahead so its natural for designers to take some inspiration from  collections and vice versa. With countries abroad doing their 2013 SS looks we're seeing SA designers take inspiration from this and bringing it to light in our AW 2013 looks.

In what ways have trends been incorporated into the looks this season?

The three main trends coming across for both summer and winter locally have certainly been leather, print and neon. Designers have brought this to our attention during fashion week by incorporating key elements of each trend into their looks. 

Neon light up the runway for international designers like House of Holland and Sister by Sibling On our side of the world, Gert Cotzee followed suit with neon green LEDs and Sister Bucks went into a divine colour block frenzy. 

Suzaan Heynes, Naked Ape and Roman Handt all incorporated leather into their collections just like Charlotte Ronson and Alexander Wang 

Prints, especially checks were also big with designers like Matthew Williamson and Antoni and Allison and House of Ole and Palse Homme were sure to draw on this trend.

Neon is a S/S 2013 trend, why do you think SA designers used it in their A/W collection?

With globalisation and the world wide web influencing South African fashions strongly, and naturally being a season behind, it allows for some creativity on SA designers front. By incorporating trends we're seeing internationally on facebook, twitter and other forms of new media, SA designers are ensuring that the trend itself is not lost on us due to time and allowing local fashionistas to wear the trends they're seeing internationally right NOW. Also, SA isn't as weather restrictive as places like London so we are able to carry summer trends much longer since winter is not really defined to the winter months.

What do you think about SA using London trends as inspiration?

It's Inventive! I think its an ode to South African creativity and the ability of our designers to use international trends to our advantage locally as well as making it relevant to our lifestyle and bright culture.