Fashion Designer

Take the literature of Brett Easton Ellis, the films of Andy Warhol and the new line of Star Wars Lego, mix them up in a blender and press “deconstruct” — that’s the fashion style of 26-year-old Tzvi Karp. After graduating from the LISOF fashion school with a BA in Fashion Design, Karp received a special mention for “Innovative Design” from a panel of Africa Fashion International judges and his collection was showcased at the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week as part of the Fast Track Initiative. Eschewing ready-to-wear utilitarianism in favour of avant-garde mind trickery, his own dress sense is as audacious as the designs he sends down the catwalk. Duty-bound to cause “creative problems” and to challenge people, his work addresses uncomfortable topics such as human trafficking and parasitic relationships. Tzvi is an Ayn Randian hero in a turban and leather jacket, yet his work is rapidly gaining an enthusiastic audience, despite his best efforts.

— Rudi Benadé

Twitter: @Tzviyonce