There is nothing more difficult for a reviewer than to pass unemotional and unbiased commentary on the work produced by designers that you respect and adore. If you love the work, it is hard to say that with credibility. If you don't, it's a quagmire of tip toeing. Yuck. And so I am going to pull up my big girl knickers and tackle two of my favourites today, starting with David Tlale. Or as I like to call him King David of Tlale. Who showed us the collection that he presented in New York in September.

I am going to come right out and say it. I have no idea what the chartreuse satin looks were upfront. This is such a difficult fabric to wear with any kind of elegance, that I almost feel it should be banned on the basis of inhumane treatment to bodies. So I am going to step over that and move into the part of the show that was truly beautiful. The chiffon print was probably not to everyone's taste, but I rather liked it. I love the use of flowing beautiful fabrics. I especially like it when these are embellished a bit and anchored down with more hard-wearing contrasts — leather, beading, lace trims. Lovely.

And a kaftan will win my vote every time. I love a beautifully fluid piece that I can see myself wafting in. Always with the wafting. The addition of a turban would have finished me off.

And then, with the beautiful predictability of every David Tlale show, we segued into the black sexy part of the show. With some feather trims that were beautiful, if a bit 'last season'. And some leather that is very, very 'now'. And it was all lovely. I have no gigantic adjectives to dole out. I have no effusive commentary. I just thought it was a good — if rather safe — show.

And therein lay the problem. We want more from King David. We want theatrics and drama, of course. Just so long as they don't run late. We want spectacular spectacular. Just so long as it isn't cold. Or hot. Or silent. Or too loud. We want our man to be everything 'showman' about fashion week — and then we want to bitch about it all. And so he pulls things back and we are dissatisfied. We are let down. We want more from him. We feel unfulfilled. So then the next season he puts on a SHOW. And we are annoyed. We whine about it. Even if it is magnificent. And so the cycle goes.

I for one prefer the showman. I like it when he goes overboard with his creativity. When he finds the humour and pushes it. I think that in that lies his genius. When he plays it safe, to please the unpleasable, his creativity suffers and we are left with a sugar rush and the inevitable crash. This collection will be unmemorable in the grand scheme of David's career. Which doesn't mean it isn't good. It just means he didn't piss anyone off. Sorry David.
All photos courtesy of SDRPhoto