Lukhanyo Mdingi debuts his AW22 collection at Paris Fashion Week

FIRE poses a major hazard to any type of property, be it commercial, residential or industrial. When it comes to safeguarding these spaces, making use of a fire extinguisher is important, but it also has certain limitations.

Hence, it is prudent that efficient fire strategies must be in place to protect the occupants of the residential or commercial property as well as vital belongings, equipment or important documents. Alongside using the typical detection mechanisms like smoke detectors and fire alarms, one also needs to consider a fire-rated door.

Fire doors, which have gradually emerged as the latest trend, taking the interior world by storm, will guard your premises, guaranteeing that the fire doesn't spread, but instead is confined to one area.

Fire doors meet the standards of fire resistance and can avert fire or the engulfing smoke from spreading through the floors or living spaces of a building, letting people have a safe and quick evacuation.

Fire doors come equipped with a fire-resistant rating and are used as a part of a building's passive fire protection system, a requisite for public buildings, offices and factories.

These doors can be composed of one or two leaves and are fabricated from an amalgamation of diverse materials such as ceramic fibre and steel, while their fittings comprise specific automatic closing and locking mechanisms.

In times of a fire emergency, these doors do not get heated, thus ensuring that the occupants get a lengthier time to escape and move to a safer area while giving the firemen more time to save those trapped and extinguish the fire.

Advantages doors: of fire-rated

Fire-rated doors help achieve the rapid and effective evacuation of occupants in case of an emergency situation.

These doors are beneficial in protecting against the spread of fire, containing it in one place along with the smoke and poisonous gases released. As a result, the property’s damage is reduced.

Because they are strong and durable, these doors can protect your home or business not only from fires but also from intruders and potential threats.

Where must these be installed?

To make the most of your fire defence strategy, one must consider choosing the appropriate location for installation. A location offering optimum safety without deterring a quick exit is most recommended. These include entrances and exit ways with corridor access, doorways that divide two separate buildings, and exits opening to elevator shafts and stairwells.

If you have been contemplating upping your fire safety strategy, then installing a fire-rated door is the right way forward. |

MULTI award-winning South African designer Lukhanyo Mdingi is starting the new year on a high note after launching his Autumn/Winter 2022 collection in Paris.

Mdingi kicked off Paris Fashion Week’s six-day menswear season with his Bodyland AW22 collection this past Tuesday.

In this collection, he aimed to celebrate the human hands that work tirelessly in creating different designs.

“The premise of this season’s presentation is an expansion of the pure spirit of collaboration. A recent period of respite in Burkina Faso will now form the heart of the label’s opening showcase Bodyland,” he said.

The collection was a celebration of African fabrics, ethical sensibility and rough local textiles. From voluminous scarves and knitwear, to wool crepe garments, it’s a collection that showed great promise of what the future holds for the young designer.

Shown at an obscure gallery in Paris’ 11th arrondissement, Mdingi’s collection emerged from a six-week stay in Burkina Faso.

“We found the most remarkable materials, and then blended them with our own sensibilities. Keeping true to ourselves but going somewhere new.”

The garments were presented while a traditional weaver worked in one corner and a musician carefully plucked the strings of a tall Kora – a plucked harp-lute – to serenade the diverse cast of models in the show.

Last year, Mdingi was awarded the special Karl Lagerfeld Prize alongside KidSuper and China’s Rui Zhou by the LVMH Prize.

ARE YOU one of those people that gets enthusiastic about diverse strokes, flourishes, and gorgeous letter forms and can’t wait to do calligraphy every day? We have something special in store for you.

Calligraphy is a beautiful hobby to pursue, and Pooja Bhagwat, Founder of Ink n Bliss, Calligraphy & Design studio, has shared five easy techniques to enhance your calligraphy skills today.

Know your tools

There are many different types of calligraphy to choose from.

It’s critical to understand and use high-quality supplies in order to have a positive writing experience. By selecting the appropriate equipment, you may begin your calligraphy journey with ease and generate the greatest results fast.

Master basic strokes

I can’t emphasise enough how crucial it is to practice basic strokes.

Any script, any calligraphy style, is composed of a set of ordered rules and basic forms. Writing words and sentences gets much easier if you memorise them and master them. Keep in mind that mastering calligraphy begins with mastering your basic strokes. You will see significant improvements if you devote a few minutes each day to practising basic strokes.

Mindful practice

I constantly advise my students that while practising, they should have a goal in mind. You might want to focus on ovals one day, ascending and descending loops the next, or you might want to devote a whole week to improving your compound curve. It’s up to you to decide.

You will progress more quickly if you set a specific objective and then work toward it. Of course, not every line or stroke will be perfect, but with concentrated attention and patience, you will see significant improvement in your writing.

Slow down

It takes time to learn calligraphy! Slowing down can help you focus more on your strokes, angles, spacing, and linkages instead of looking haphazard. You’ll appreciate writing more since you’ll be able to see and feel your breath rise and fall with each stroke. It’s quite meditative. Slowing down your writing will help you achieve greater precision.

Learn from your own progress

Many novices and even seasoned calligraphers constantly compare their work to that of others. This is self-evident, but everyone comes from a unique background, has a unique attitude, and possesses a unique set of skills. As a result, this type of comparison will not assist you in improving your expertise. In fact, such a comparison will make you uneasy or make you lose confidence. Setting unreasonable goals will prohibit you from achieving them.

Comparing your new work to your previous work is really helpful if you truly want to grow and see positive outcomes in your writing. It raises your self-esteem and instantly improves your mood. You might make new discoveries, such as your wobbly lines no longer being shaky, your ovals becoming more uniform, your angles improving, and so on. Seeing your personal improvement on a regular basis will increase your happiness and contentment. |