THREE MAG + Blue Priest: The Bold the Brave and the Beautiful

PATTERN NATION IS SOLD AT BLUE PRIEST

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Fashion and style is all around us, and we as consumers get to make choices about what we believe in based on where we buy our clothing and what we choose to wear. Malls are packed with fast fashion, easy to shop and cost effective but is this the most conscious way to dress ourselves and spend our money? In a city like Cape Town full of local designers and creatives why not choose to invest in something locally made, contribute directly to someone’s livelihood and stand out with your unique wardrobe. We at PatternNation believe in this way of shopping and specialize in colourful one of a kind or small run ungendered streetwear and upcycled vintage. This is our passion and we love meeting other creatives who are down for the cause, this is why we love the brand BluePriest and have joined The Priesthood Collective of artists that sell clothing and accessories through their amazing shop in Muizenberg.  

After years of watching each other's brands grow when Costa Besta and I, Cyd Eva of PatternNation relocated to Cape Town from Durban earlier this year we were finally able to connect with this amazing collective of artists based in Muizenberg. The alignment between our brands is really exciting and we are honoured to have been welcomed into The Priesthood collective with open arms. Locally sourced materials, colourful prints and innovative designs made at their studio a block away from the shop, Bluepriest is a remarkable fashion label surrounded by a good vibes, diverse and inclusive community. When we brought our current collection to the Bluepreist shop we came with photographer, collaborator and friend Cebo Nxumalo to shoot some of the Bluepriest family styled in a combination of our two brands clothing. It was exciting to see how well our designs complimented each other and how we all believe in dressing to express in conscious colourful streetwear. And to partner this super fun photoshoot I asked Cyan Khoury, the lead visionary and designer behind BluePriest a few questions about the brand, her creative process and cause. 

Tell me about BluePriest, when was it founded and how you got into fashion design?

“Bluepriest started out as a brand selling t shirts and prints of girls and then being introduced to some fabric from Zambia and Original Vlisco from Ghana the first turn up shorts sample made around 2013 then moved to cpt and started building the store in 2015 selling prints and t shirts still and attending events and expos Started go hard on the clothing around 2017.. and slowly have been expanding our products..the name bluepriest is a play on my own name Cyan = blue and my Surname Khoury = Priest in Arabic”

How has the Priesthood collective formed and what is the vision behind connecting creatives?

“The formation of the priesthood was organic..once we opened our store the alignment with different brands started to happen and over the years we have attracted and reached out to more and more brands that resonated with us. Our ethos with brands we take on is local, affordable and original. We aim to create a platform that can expose and support local creatives.”

Nestled in downtown Muizenberg the BluePriest shop is an alternative fashion lover's dream, with new items coming in all the time from local creatives as well as BluePriest’s in-house brand. We all share a passion for colour in the community and I believe this is a core part of the cause. When you choose to step out of the box with your fashion, the possibilities are endless and once you start experimenting with print, pattern and colour there is no limit to the artistry you can bring into your styling and wardrobe. This way of dressing may not be for everyone and people with all tastes can shop locally and sustainably but if you're like us and love the bold BluePriest is worth the visit. Check out their shop at 42 Palmer Road in Muizenburg and on insta @bluepriest_za @bluepriest_afroteck_streetwear @thepriesthood_cpt  Individuality never goes out of style!

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON THREE MAG

Team Credits: 

Written by Cydney Eva @cydeva

Photographer: Cebo Nxumalo @cebon.sa

Photography Assistant and editing: Costa Besta @costabesta 

Clothing: PatternNation @pattern.nation hoodies, buffs and painted denim jacket and waistcoat. 

Blue Priest @bluepriest_za @bluepriest_afroteck_streetwear masks, jumpsuits, pants, backpacks, fanny packs, hats, balaclavas, waistcoat, shirts and shorts. 

Models: Amazing Ace @amazing_ace7455 Tammy Vonwild @tammyvonwild Naledi Tlailane @naledzzz Masa Masande Mhluzi @masa6lackacex444 Vin @holybuyblejewelry Cyan Khoury @therealdirtystyle

Location: 42 Palmer Road Muizenberg Blue Priest Afroteck Streetwear Store @thepriesthood_cpt

www.pattern-nation.com

PatternNation at Essentially Obs in Cape Town South Africa

42 Trill Road Observatory Cape Town South Africa

PatternNation is now stocked at Essentially Obs Co-op Shop in Observatory Cape Town. We Have everything from full face masks to uncycled vintage and even art and home décor items avaible here that you can’t find online. PatternNation gear stocked at Essentially Obs is: Uncycled Denim, T-shirts, Hoodies, Masks, Paintings, Essential Oil Room Sprays, Painted Candles, Pom Pom Earrings, Scrunchies, and Jewelry Hanger Frames. You can also find a wide variety of locally made goods, fresh farm produce, fresh baked bread and plants at Essentially Obs. It’s a great days outing to go check out while South Africans adhere to so many lock down rules, the staff are amazing and you won’t be disappointed by the variety of art and local creativity. Every Saturday is their market day when they offer fresh baked goods and are open from 11-3pm.

Black Lives Matter - our thoughts and messages of solidarity

PatternNation stands in solidarity with #Blacklivesmatter

A message from Costa Besta and Cydney Eva

As an interracial couple who creates art together our lived experience is one that only a few generations ago in America and South Africa would have been illegal. Black people fought for their rights in colonial South Africa and America and without their bravery we would not be married today. As we all know the fight is not over, the fight is now. We do not live in a just society and racism is still eroding the strives that have been made by black people, indigenous people and their allies. We often experience the difference race plays in the way we are treated when we go out together in Canada and South Africa. We live this double standard as Costa is constantly treated differently and with less respect than Cydney and we want to see an end to racism. We ask
you all to look deep inside and think about the stereotypes you hold for people of any race outside of your own. Why do we (as a collective society) judge others who we do not know and make assumptions about them based on race? Can we stop living from a place of guilt, fear and hatred and instead unlearn our prejudices
and live from a place of love, understanding and compassion? Individually we may not be able to stop the corrupt racist police forces and governments through our self-reflection, we may not be able to physically join the protests but we can all look deeply at ourselves and our communities and no-longer condone the
racism we see around us in our families, friends and communities. Thank you to all the protestors on the front lines risking their lives for justice.

A message from Costa Besta

When I was growing up, my elders used to tell me about what they'd encountered when they were around white people. I always ask myself why do white people hate us so much. "What are these Baboons doing here"?
"You black people are lazy." "Blacks are nothing but thieves". " You are not people, you are animals."

Till today, this racial beast is still at large and it has a lot of white privilege in it. When I was in primary school I had racist white teachers all over, they would tell us all in Afrikaans that we will never amount to nothing, thinking that we won't understand them.Racism is still alive and well. There are jobs that are allocated for white people only and not for black people. A lot of our parents and siblings are sitting at home with their qualifications (certificates, diplomas and masters) but they're not getting any jobs because they are reserved for whites people. As a black person out here in the job world, your position is questionable, if you're up there with other whites, they will quickly make it harder for you to work with them "on their level".Your job to them as a black person is to clean the toilets, scrub the floor, shut up and do as I say, raise their kids and at the end those kids that our grandparents or parents raise end up disrespecting them as they grow up because they were taught that way by their parents.

I was told by a white lady to go back to where I come from at a restaurant when I was serving them,it
didn't sit well with me so I answered her, "what are you talking about lady, this is where I come from, South Africa, Africa. This is where I'm from, I belong here. You are dumb for saying something that ignorant
cos you're the one that doesn't belong here." She called the manager on me and it went to the owner of the restaurant, now I'm explaining my part of the story to them and they're not taking it because the owner of the restaurant is white and to them I'm just a rude and ungrateful black employee.

Another work space that was white dominant that I worked at the head of staff didn't like me because i had dreadlocks and black, she always followed me around to make sure that I'm not stealing anything, I worked there for several months without getting an official position, new white boy comes to the job and they tell me to show him around and how things work, a month later he is my manager, a month later the same dude I was helping fire me.

We as blacks are the most hated race on this planet .There are a lot of racist experiences that I've come across.
It's been worse now that My wife is white, I get most people talking to her only and not even acknowledging my presence, I see all of you and sometimes I ask myself how do these people live with such hatred in their hearts, for what..? JUST BECAUSE WE'RE BLACK

WE SEE YOU, CHANGE THE WAY YOU ACT. OR ELSE IT WILL AFFECT THE FUTURE IN A BAD WAY. 

A message from Cydney Eva

I am a privileged white Canadian woman whose life has been shaped by black culture from across the diaspora. My path to allyship continues to be a learning experience everyday as I learn how to best support the black people in my life and black people on mass. I have been influenced and interested in black culture from a young age and have met, loved and grown close to so many amazing black and indigenous people of colour. It is an honour to work with and be a part of so many creative projects with black folks who have
collaborated with PatternNation. To the African American/ Canadian community standing up for their rights and protesting to change the colonial white-supremacist system and end police brutality and racism in North America PatternNation stands in solidarity. To the black and coloured South Africans still fighting for their rights and equality who continue to experience police brutality and racism on their own land in a post-apartheid society PatternNation stands in solidarity. To the white people in North America and South Africa it is not okay to indulge in black culture while segregating yourselves to all white or almost all white communities, there will be no change if we do not change. We need to do better, dissect our privilege and learned biases, educate ourselves and stand up alongside black people for a just future.

Glad I Exist Collab for Vancity Street

Pattern Nation joined forces with sister brand Glad I Exist Apparel ran by artist Brianna Klassen in October of 2019 to showcase at Vancity Street fashion week. Lead designers of both brands Brianna and Cydney have been friends since the age of 7 and making art together ever since, Cydney is now living between Cape Town and Vancouver, Brianna in Bangalore and Vancouver. With the two designers being in Vancouver in October 2019, the launch of Glad I Exists first collection aligning with Vancity Streets first fashion week it was the perfect timing for this collaborative fashion show to come to life. With a cast of 17 amazing models, dancers and performers from Vancouver we brought together PatternNation one of a kind clothing, with Glad I Exists range of leggings and tops sporting original textile designs by Brianna and earrings by designer Bella P we brought together this collection.  All the models walked down the runway dancing and we ended the show with a live performance by Nigerian Canadian musician Adewolf. This show was truly a celebration of our community in Vancouver who have been supporting PatternNation since day one, even Cydney’s mother Lindy was modelling in this remarkable show. We showcased our first ever collection at Vancity street’s first show in 2017 and it was such a pleasure to get involved with this outstanding underground runway show as it launched its first 3 day fashion week.

Read Glad I exist’s blog post about the show HERE

Designers:

Glad I Exist @gladiexist - spandex leggings, tops and skirts, photo edits and ilustrations.

PatternNation - Jackets, fringe tops, jump suits, hoodies, and curation.

Bella P Designs - Hoop earrings

Models: AdeWolf @adewolfy Leah McFly @leahmcflywaackeisha Cydney Eva @cydeva Brianna Klassen @brianna.klassen Lindy Sisson @lindydance Bailey Soleil @baysoleil Shawn Yip @shawnrichard_ Bella P Cuffley @bellapqueenb Amalia @amaliamamalia Alyssa Amarshi @alyssamarshi           Sophia Gamboa @sophiaa.sosa Helen Proskow @helen.proskow Char Loro @houdinikazimi Tylee Styne @tyleeelise Barbara Chirinos @b_esme6009 Nancy Cottingham Powell

Photographer: Tonya Allen @cajenua

Make Up by Brianna Klassen, Hair by Leah Mcfly

Location: Celebrities Underground Vancouver October 2019

PatternNation Imagination Exploration Intensive 2019

In our 2019 Youth Program funded by Artstarts Creative Spark grant and materials donated by Opus Art supplies we offered a 3 session art intensive for you in Vancouver. 8 amazing kids ages 5 - 13 participated in the program. They Designed the fabric of their own hoodie with painting silk screening and tie dye, learnt about photography and conducted their own photoshoot. They ended the program with a fashion show and gallery presentation for their friends and family.

Program Mentors:

Cydney Eva Pattern, Jason Bempong and Maggie MacPherson

All photos by Maggie MacPherson

Lesotho Fashion Week

There was a call out for designers around Africa to come and showcase their clothing on a Fashion show hosted in Lesotho called “ Lesotho Fashion Week”, we signed up and we were chosen to participate. The venue that hosted the event was Mpilo Boutique Hotel.We made a new range for the Fashion Show and we took a road trip to Lesotho.

Our Brand is about inclusivity, everyone is accommodated regardless of your race, weight, height, ethnicity or gender.

We Kindly requested a variety of individuals to model for us, from oversized models to dancers, our runway was pretty interesting because the dancers wanted to do a little choreography as they were strutting along the ramp.

The choreography was divided into three, the first one was the Pantsula dancers that did a little performance, then it was a solo of a Hip hop dancer which transitioned into a partner dancing with all of the models.

We later came out with the rest of the models onto the runway to thank everyone for coming through to show their support.