Page 63 - Forbes - Africa (March 2020)

HisMenswearrangeaddstohisimpressive
portfolio.
Gert-Johanhasbecomeaninfluential
individualinhisownright,anddebutedhis
careerintelevisionasamentoronProject
RunwaySouthAfrica.Withapassionformen-
torshipandsharingopportunitiesandknowl-
edge,Gert-Johanhasestablishedabursary
programmethatsponsorstwonewstudents
annually,withthree-yearbursariesinFashion
Studiesathisalmamater,TheNorthwest
SchoolofDesign.
Gert-JohanisalsoaSocialActivistwho
usesthepowerofhisplatformtohighlight
socialissues.Frombreakingdownprejudices
tobreastcancerawareness,fromchampion-

ingeducationtoaddressingviolenceagainst
women;aswellasraisingawarenessabout
endangeredwildlifeandeco-consciousness
infashion,Gert-Johan’sbi-annualcollections,
shownatSAFashionWeek,havesparked
conversationswiththeirsocialfocus.
Gert-Johanhaswonnumerousawards,in-
cludingSouthAfrica’sMostPromisingYoung
Designerin2006,attheageof19,andSouth
AfricanDesigneroftheYearin2010.He’salso
shownatInternationalFashionWeeksinCan-
ada,AngolaandNigeriaandhasagrowing
followingacrosstheAfricancontinent.
Inhisillustriouscareer,Gert-Johanhas
createdsomeofSouthAfrica’smostmemora-
blemasterpieces,andtogetherwithopening
SAFashionWeekSS20inAprilthisyear;the
upcomingGert-JohanCoetzeeRetrospective,
takingplaceinSandtonCity'sDiamondWalk,
fromthe19thofMarchuntilthe26thofApril
2020,willshowcasesomeofhismosticonic
creationsaswellasthewomenwhowore
them. Coetzee and Sarah Langa Mackay
InadditiontotheRetrospective,incelebra-

tionofadecadeofGert-JohanCoetzee,comes
apassionprojectexpertlycraftedintheheart memoryandemotion;andisreminiscent EaudeParfum,embodiestheepitomeofa
ofGrasse,theperfumecapitaloftheworldon ofRustenburg’ssignatureplatinummines, Gert-JohanCoetzeewoman–confident,kind,
theFrenchRiviera,inthesameperfumerie whereGert-Johangrewup.Designedforthe powerfulandgracefulwithasophisticated
wheresomeofthegreatestfragrancessuchas diverseSouthAfricanmenandwomenwho soupçonofsexappeal.
JeanPaulGaultier,MaisonFrancisKurkdjian, wearGert-JohanCoetzee’sCollections,the Thisisthebeautifulbeginningofabrand
DiorandBalmainaremanufactured.Asig- delicatecombinationofthesoftnessofrose, newdirectionforGert-JohanandhisBusiness
naturescentthatisanchoredinauthenticity, whichrepresentsfemininefragility,paired Partner,BrandManagerandhusbandVicky
inspiredbyAfricaandreflectingheressence; withthesmokeofmasculinity,comesaso- Visagie,astheybranchintodiversedimen-
butartfullyconstructedbythefinestFrench phisticatedscentofferingaromaticabundance sionsfortheGert-JohanCoetzeebrand.
noses,comesGert-JohanCoetzee’sfirstforay ineveryspritz. DoublePlatinumEaudeParfumwas
intofragrance. “Asignaturesymphonyofsuccess,”every launchedonthe27thFebruaryatSkins
DoublePlatinumEaudeParfumby detailofDoublePlatinumisdeliberate,and CosmeticsinSandtonCity,Johannesburg, and
Gert-Johan Coetzee comprises a cocktail of Sarah Langa, the face of Double Platinum will be exclusively sold at this outlet.