SHARE YOUR STYLE STORY #MVNPStyleStory & Win During Women's Month 2014

Fashion changes, but style endures, said Coco Chanel, and she would know! 

What a StyleStory she could tell.

But we want to hear all about your Style Story (#MVNPStyleStory) and then we want to help you tell your story in style with a photos shoot and a portfolio of portraits. 

From 1 to 31 August in celebration of Women's Month 2014 we offer you a chance to win a Style & Stories Portrait Portfolio photo shoot with 15 images on a CD worth R2 500.

All you need to do is:

•  to go to our Facebook page
• Find the StyleStory Competition app
• Choose an image and quote combination that best describes your personal StyleStory
• Type in the number in the allocated field and you could be the lucky winner. 

To increase your chances:

• Share with your friends through Facebook, on Twitter with  #MVNPStyleStory or email and 
• Get another opportunity to vote 

The winner will selected through a random process using Woobox and will be announced before 10 September 2014.

SPOTLIGHT # 4: Sleuth at The Playhouse Theatre, Somerset West

BY ERIKA

Two leads in Somerset West's The Playhouse Theatre production of Sleuth by Anthony Shaffer, David Bullard and Christoan Smit. Director is Bettina Horvath. 

Sleuth is a top-class thriller set in the 70's with twists and turns in the plot is keeping audiences riveted. 

Show times:

Thursday 31 July 2014 at 8 pm
Friday 1 August 2014 at 8 pm
Saturday 2 August 2014 

Book with Computicket 

Review in the Cape Times with our image

STYLE & STORIES PORTRAIT PORTFOLIO: Lelanie

BY ERIKA

Strand / Somerset West business women, Lelanie Roberts-Baxter is the owner of Angels Creations, an e-commerce supplier of: underwear, lingerie, adult toys, clothing, accessories and more. Most of the clothing & shoes products retail outlet cancelled orders/stock overruns - no rejects.

We first met her when Martin photographed Ronel modelling the lingerie on the Angels Creations website landing page.

But we this time it was Lelanie’s turn to tell her own story in style.  

Angels Creations website: www.angelscreations.co.za

MAKE-UP BY: Candice Harker http://www.mobilemakeupartist.co.za 

FLASH BACK #11: Food photography

STYLE & STORIES PORTRAIT PORTFOLIO: Bettina Horvath

BY ERIKA

I met Bettina Horvath only about a year ago when I attended a social media workshop she presented in Somerset West.

But in this year she has become such an integral part of Martin and my life on both a professional and personal level, it feels as if we have known her forever.

What I know about marketing a photographic studio on social media and using email, I have learnt from Bettina.

When I joined Xtraordinary Women there was Bettina, ceaselessly supporting inspiring and teaching.

And then we collaborated with Bettina the actress, marketer and director and self-confessed ‘drama queen’ at the Playhouse Theatre in Somerset West.  

As a master facilitator, Bettina has given Martin Van Niekerk Photography the opportunity to photograph the people and productions at the Playhouse, a job he thoroughly enjoys.

But now Bettina is leaving.

After 17 years of marketing, selling, training and shaking up the inbound marketing scene in South Africa, she and her son are going home to Vienna, Austria to do the same there, of that I am sure.

We wish you all the best Bettina, and we will miss you but if there is one person who will use all technology has to offer to stay in touch and to continue inspiring, it is you.

Auf wiedersehen!

PS: Bettina's STYLE & STORY

Typically Bettina style, her leaving will not happen quietly, no, she is going out with a bang! 

Amidst packing up and organising her new life thousands of kilometres away, she is still managing to direct  Sleuth, the classic thriller by Anthony Shaffer which opens on 24 July. 

Book your tickets via Computicket today!

MAKE-UP BY: Candice Harker http://www.mobilemakeupartist.co.za 

BUSINESS PORTRAIT # 6: Maree Steyn of Travel With Me, Somerset West

BY ERIKA

Maree Steyn is the owner of Travel With Me, a personalised service selling holiday experiences, corporate travel, group travel as well as golf packages including arranging airfares, accommodation, tours, cruises, insurance, car hire and foreign exchange

Travel With Me is situated in Somerset West.

Maree can be contacted at maree@travelwithme.co.za or telephone 021 8515226 or 072 364 2972.

MAKE-UP BY: Candice Harker http://www.mobilemakeupartist.co.za

FLASH BACK # 10: Jenny / 2011

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Jenny
MUA: Candice Harker

BUSINESS PORTRAIT # 5: Xtraordinary Women, Somerset West

BY ERIKA

A group of extraordinary business women from the Helderberg and surrounds, meet every first Thursday of the month at Erinvale

F.l.t.r. Gwen Kloppers from Xtraordinary Women, July guest speaker and consciousness coach Ann Baret Solot and Somerset West Chapter leader, Diana Rankin of Perfume Power SA.

Xtraordinary Women is the brain child of Gwen's passion to create a community and platform for Xtraordinary Women doing extraordinary things.

More images can be viewed on the Xtraordinary Women Facebook-page.   

STYLE & STORIES PORTRAIT PORTFOLIO: Gisela

BY ERIKA

Graceful as a gazelle, gentle as a breeze and beautifully brainy is Gisela ‘Dancer’ Iles.

When not dancing for The Psychedelic Theatre performance art group she can be found in front of her books as a Stellenbosch University student.

We first met Gisela as part of the poi or fire eating team we photographed a few years ago.

Over the years we met up again for photo shoots and recently for the Save The Tie, Save a Child fashion show in which she participated as performer and model for Saskia Wicomb’s IEMAND label.

The same qualities that makes her an exceptional dancer, helped create these beautiful studio images of Gisela.

TIE ME UP, TIE ME DOWN # 3: Designs by Saskia Wicomb for her label IEMAND

BY ERIKA

Stellenbosch designer Saskia Wicomb's contribution to the Save The Tie, Save a Child fashion event organised by Mrs Cape Town 2013, Chantal Witthuhn at the All Star Theatre in Cape gate at the end of June.

All the outfits were made from neck ties collected all over the Cape Town, Boland and Overberg areas.