community*
pictures jacques weyers
“I
want to have fun doing what I’m doing,” says Dawn MacNab aka Disco Dawn. You get the feeling if she wasn’t, she’d move on to something which did bring her joy: “I absolutely love what I’m doing,” she grins. “I feel like I’m in a dress-up box all day.” Step inside the Disco Dawn space, and it’s hard to keep your hands to yourself. For Dawn, this venture wasn’t planned, it just mushroomed … and continues to do so as she explores new avenues, discovers new creatives, and turns play into work. Or vice versa. It began during lockdown: “I needed to do something to distract myself. That distraction was a little Instagram post selling imported jackets to my girlfriends. Gorgeous branded jackets, inexpensively priced, all online and couriered to your door – they flew off the site. For the photoshoots, the MacNab’s uMhlanga home has the perfect backdrop – a dramatic copper-covered wall. Dawn sourced a vintage mannequin, and photographed her clothing on the mannequin or herself. She laughs, “I was having such fun – it was a wonderful artistic outlet.” Dawn’s not new to the world of art or clothing. She studied art at school, and was soon headhunted by an iconic Durban entrepreneur. After many years at the rockface of his thriving advertising agency, she went solo, and built her own successful little advertising agency: “It just grew to the extent where it was impacting on my life. I chose family.” But she never let go of her love of art – Disco Dawn was the perfect creative outlet.
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pictures jacques weyers, tony christie and dawn macnab
ABOVE: A Gideon and Dawn collab: Dawn wears a dress made from table linens, table runners, napkins and doilies.
Disco DAWN THE DISCO PART OF DAWN MACNAB’S EXUBERANT, QUIRKY ONLINE CLOTHING RANGES, WAS BORN WHEN LOCKDOWN MADE US YEARN TO BE FREE, EXPRESS OURSELVES, DANCE AND HAVE FUN. SHE’S DOING JUST THAT, WRITES ANNE SCHAUFFER The jackets sold well, then summer arrived. Dawn had other ideas to explore: “I met up with friend and Durban designer Gideon, and described my vision. He was keen to collaborate.” Dawn opens a cupboard to reveal not only a massive collection of fabrics, but antique table linens, cloths, doilies … and she showed them to Gideon: “I wanted elegant, pretty, wrap dresses, shorts, jumpsuits – one-off pieces you won’t find in a store. I wanted to create art in my clothes.” Gideon did just that, and although Dawn provided a loose brief, she was adamant – as with her later collabs – their signature styles must come through.
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