Page 62 - Forbes - Africa (March 2020)

BRAND VOICE BY GERT-JOHAN COETZEE

A DECADE OF

GERT-JOHAN COETZEE

Gert-Johan Coetzee and
Lerato Kganyago Oprah Winfrey

fashiondesignerwhobelievesyoucanneverdreamtoobig,Gert-JohanCoet-
zeeisreveredasoneofSouthAfrica’smostcelebrateddesigners;synonymous
withhissignaturestyle,sophisticationandpanache.Gert-Johandoesn’tsimply
A designdresses,hedesignsrelationshipsanddeliversdreamsforhisdynamic
andesteemedclienteleofwomeninBusiness,Entertainment,PoliticsandRoyalAfrican
Families.
FashioncoursesthroughGert-Johan’sveins,andhasbeenhispassionsincehewas
eightyearsold,designingdressesforhispencils,outoftissuepaper.Overtwodecades
later,hisdedicationtodressingwomenhowthey’dliketobeaddressed,hasseenGert-Jo-
hanrisetothetopofhisgameinSouthAfrica;dressingnewsworthywomenlikeFormer
PublicProtectorThuliMadonsela,MissUniverse2018Demi-LeighNel-Peters,Miss
World2014RoleneStrauss,andMediaPersonalitiesMinnieDlamini,LeratoKganyago

andBonangMatheba,tonameafew.Histalenthasaninternationalscopeofsignificant Photo by Nicole Phillips
superstarsincludingthelikesofOprahWinfrey,KourtneyKardashian,KristinCavallari,
LaurynHill,KellyRowland,FantasiaandTiwaSavage.
Adecadeofdesigningisaformidablefeat,astheFashionIndustryisfast-paced,and
asanEntrepreneurinanever-evolvingenvironment;inordertoachievethecommercial
andcreativesuccessthatGert-Johanhasenjoyedinhistenyeartenure,requirespassion,
perseverance,determinationandadelicatebalancebetweenbusinessandcreativity.
HissuccessfulcollaborationswithglobalbrandssuchasMcDonald’sandFerrarispeak
ofhiscommercialunderstandingofbusiness,whichisararityinthecreativeworldof
Fashion.Withoutself-discipline,successisimpossible,andintheenterpriseofFashion, Photo by Yolanda van der Stoep;
successisnotexclusivelymeasuredonmakingprofits,butinthecreationofbrandvalue;
whichGert-Johanhasmasteredwithhiseponymousempire.InadditiontohisCouture
Miss Universe 2019
Zozibini Tunzi andBespokeBridalCollections,Gert-JohanhascreatedGERT,hisCasualWearCollec-
tion as well as an exclusive Ready-To-Wear Range available at selected luxury boutiques.