 The other night I was lying in bed scrolling through my Twitter feed and I saw a few mentions about an upcoming collaboration between LISOF and GMSA and it looked like something I had to be at. I got hold of the person who was to be spreading the word more than most, Gugu Zulu, to find out how one would secure what seemed to be a much sought-after invite. It turns out Gugu was the Project Manager for the event and so after a little bit of a chat I cracked the nod. The next morning I had myself a VIP invite to join LISOF and Opel to present “an exclusive showcase of emerging fashion, art and technology that culminates in the announcement of LISOF’s top student of 2014.” 
People who know me know that I’m into the motoring side of things, which is where the GMSA / Opel connection comes in of course, but I’m pretty sure that most people in the circles I run in don’t quite know what LISOF is. Let me educate a little… LISOF is an acronym for Leaders In the Science Of Fashion. As their website states: “LISOF has the reputation of being the most progressive fashion design school and retail education institution in Africa. Our alumni populate fashion and retail environments throughout the world and our degrees in fashion are well sought after in the industry. We have achieved this success by developing a curriculum that is unequalled in its variety and depth, by employing and consulting leaders at the cutting edge of fashion, retail and education and by fostering individuality, innovation and creativity.” 
So with LISOF being the best fashion institution in the country that moulds creative minds into fashion geniuses, it makes perfect sense that to have them involved with the launch of Opel’s latest release, the ADAM. The ADAM is an amazing little car that’s packed full of the latest gadgets and features usually reserved for cars much their senior, but the main selling point is that it’s a car for the individual. The Opel Adam is offered to the public in a few variations to suit a particular lifestyle, but over and above the “standard” offers, the ADAM can be customised pretty extensively to ensure complete individuality, much like a fashion designer does with their latest range.
The LISOF / Opel ADAM colab took place at Gallagher Convention Centre and being one of the biggest events on the fashion calendar, it was packed with exactly the kind of crowd you’d expect to see at a fashion show. There were pretty people all over the place, arty types, models, people who should be models and an alarming amount of tall women. It’s clear that these people are up to date with the latest fashion trends, I have to admit that I felt a little under dressed in Mr Price’s finest, but I wasn’t there to be looked at, I was there to see this much-hyped Opel ADAM in the metal. 
There was a pair of cars parked just inside the entrance to the hall and I had to wait my turn to get close to them, there was just that much interest. The ADAM will clearly add to the local resurgence the Opel brand is seeing in SA (Opel vehicle sales were up 54% in the first seven months of 2014) with another 26 new models to follow in the New Year. I had a close look at a yellow ADAM and I’m impressed, very much so. The design of the ADAM allows for a two-tone theme, and the so this one had bright yellow body paint while the top section was gloss black, added to that is the gloss black wheels and the tinted windows. The spotlights, taillights and headlights also have a black surround that stands out against the yellow paint. It’s one very attractive little car. Inside the same colour scheme is followed with the exterior yellow paint carried through to the dashboard, centre console and door panels while the seats are black (a leather and cloth combination). The look and feel of everything is great, it’s top quality and it’s been put together properly, there’s definitely the feel of a more grown up car. The driver’s view is great, the clocks and the steering wheel look pretty funky, and definitely something I’d have no problem looking at daily. As for the infotainment offered with the ADAM, I’ll have more detailed info on the different options offered when I (hopefully) get one for review. The way this car was getting the attention of the people there, which is clearly the intended target market for the ADAM, this car is going to be very popular. It looks like Opel is on to a winner in the premium sub-compact hatchback segment.
After my thorough inspection of the ADAM, I went through to the VIP area for a small presentation on the car and brand followed up by one on LISOF. From there it was through to the main hall where everyone was waiting for the LISOF fashion show that was set to show off the creations from their top 1st to 3rd year students. Now you have to understand that what I know about haute couture is limited to what I’ve seen screened on FTV over a few cocktails at some of the larney spots in the North. What I saw during the show was exactly the same; there were many, many weird and wonderful creations draped over some very nice to look at bodies.
It was brilliant though, it’s clear that SA has talent that’s comparable to the best the world has to offer. A few different cars were used in the show and the reaction from the crowd was very positive, especially the part where an ADAM parallel parked itself. As said, I’m not qualified to comment on fashion at all, so for those of you that are interested in what was seen, I’ll have to let the pics speak for themselves because they really will say more than I can. I can tell you that it was a top-notch event that was attended by the who’s who of the industry. I know that if I spot Nicola Cooper at fashion related event, it’s an event worth being seen at. Well done and congrats to every one involved with the show, it was a new experience for me and one that I won’t soon forget. A huge thanks must go to Gugu Zulu for hooking me up, much appreciated.
As for the Opel ADAM, there are so many ways to personalise the car over and above the three packages on offer, the Glam, Jam and Slam which I’ll get into in more detail next time. As says Opel Brand Manager Christopher Cradock says: “The ADAM experience is all about the freedom to create and own an individual, personalised car through which the owner can express their lifestyle preferences and tastes. In addition to customisation, the ADAM offers an exciting and engaging driving experience and as with all Opel vehicles it comes packed with standard innovative technology and specification. The Opel ADAM will attract a new generation of customers to the Opel brand and open up an exciting world of personalised motoring for drivers looking for an individual driving experience.” |
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