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Viviers’ organza Organi-Tech shirt from the
Unfolded collection hangs next to air-dried
lotus flowers and leaves in the Viviers atelier;
(un)mask mask by Lena Heinrich of Studio
Lennie ( studiolennie) and Viviers’ Spotted
pinch pots are among the pieces for sale at
Lotus House; an artwork by Irma Stern is on
display above a Mid-Century Modern trolley
from Re-trend ( retrendsa). The leather cap is
by Studio Lennie and the Punch Pot ceramics
are by Viviers. Contact [email protected]
to make an appointment at Lotus House.
The label isn’t womenswear or menswear.
It’s not any particular gender or age. It’s not
just an African brand, nor is it only specific
to Johannesburg. And it’s not tied to any
specific theme or season. Viviers cannot be
confined to trends or placed in a box.
‘I want Viviers to be timeless,’ Viviers
says. ‘It’s about amazing craftsmanship,
colours, textures, silhouettes and fabrics.
I’m working really hard playing with cuts
to get them perfect so that they work on real
women. With all our different shapes and
sizes in the studio, we all try on the clothes.’
Strolling out into the lower garden
- which is flourishing with giant delicious
monsters, marigolds planted in colour
blocks of orange and yellow, and exotic flora
such as nightshade, staghorn ferns and
bromeliads – Viviers continues to describe
her vision. ‘The garden was like Jumanji and
we had to cut quite a lot of it back because
its plants were growing out of the house,
which was a structural nightmare,’ she says
of the project, which also involved clearing
out roots and undergrowth to create
a pathway to the lowest part of the garden - the soon-to-be location of the Japanese
tearoom. ‘This will be a space where you
can meditate, read and relax. Flower,
art and book clubs can meet here. I want
this house to be part of that community.’
Potential Viviers clients will be able to
visit the studio by appointment, and have
the option of having a bespoke garment
made or choosing from one of the numbered
pieces. Ready-to-wear off-the-rail garments
are also on sale, which form part of the
bigger seasonal collection, but Viviers is
quick to point out that her clothing label and
Lotus House as a whole will be aligned with
art week rather than fashion week. ‘I want
the brand to be a collaboration between
art, fashion and pioneering people who are
interested in collaborations,’ says Viviers.
‘One of my dearest friends, Juanita Kotze,
taught me that changing one’s mind is a sign
of growth. And this project has been such
a joy.’ O viviers.studio, lotus._.house
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