ABOUT MANTUA


 

 

man~tu~a
ˈman(t)SHəwə/ noun

A woman's loose gown of a kind fashionable during the 17th and 18th centuries. From French manteau "cloak, mantle," from Old French mantel (see mantle); form influenced in English by Mantua, name of a city in Italy. Mantua-maker (1690s) became the general early 19c. term for "dressmaker."

 

Mantua Silkwear is designed and manufactured in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and inspired by the colourful heartbeat of Africa as well as the ethereal luminosity of silk and how it transforms to the body. As a counterpoint to disposable fashion, the Mantua Collection of silk scarves is trans-seasonal and beyond trends, weaving stories inspired by the eclectic pattern and colour of Southern Africa. 

  

  

In the hands of textile and clothing designer Juandi Andrag, silk takes sensual shape to tell tales that unfold and mutate over time. Juandi studied fashion design at Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion Design after receiving a diploma in culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Arts, both in Stellenbosch, South Africa. She worked as a food stylist before pursuing a career in fashion. 

Juandi works from her home studio in Stellenbosch, the heart of the South African winelands. She is inspired by the many forms of art used by women to express their identity and culture, giving life to the mysticism of female energy. She also finds inspiration in the ever changing patterns and colours of life in South Africa always searching for the beauty of imperfection to express on silk, her chosen medium.

  

Says Juandi:

“Watercolour artworks are printed onto silk scarves in limited editions. The design process is driven by an intrinsic awareness of movement and the body as canvas for wearable art infused by the harsh colours of the African sky mixed with the eclectic beats of the most diverse country in the world”.