Shingai Shoniwa partners Bonhams auction house to sell some of her most iconic outfits

FOR SALE AT SHINGAI SHONHIWA'S AUCTION: HER CHANEL BOOTS, DOLCE & GABBANA DRESS, MOSCHINO ITEMS & MORE

It's not uncommon for celebrities to auction off their most iconic red carpet 'fits and other valuables. UK-based Zimbabwean singer Shingai Shonhiwa is partnering with Bonhams platform to auction some of her most iconic outfits worn during her Noisettes era - an indie rock band from London, composed of singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa and guitarist Dan Smith.

Augmented with original editorial content exploring the provenance and history of each auctioned item, the digital auction will go live today 20 October 2022, at 16:00 British Standard Time. "All the proceeds will go towards a Southern African Creative Sustainability Project," says Shingai.

Check out some of the items and the story behind each item below as told by Shingai herself.

A Video Worn Jean Paul Gaultier Body-Con Dress, early 1990s to be sold.

Junior label, cream ground with equestrian design, lingerie style sheer black side panels, as worn by Shingai in The Noisettes' "Never Forget You" music video, 2009.

"I hail from a family of fearless yet flamboyant women. My mum was a teenage freedom fighter who arrived here in exile during the late 1970s Rhodesian war. How she managed to maintain such a vibrant style on a tight budget in grey Thatcherized Britain never ceases to amaze and inspire me. The lyrics pay homage to the ones who inspire us and we lost along the way in hope that we've done them proud. This 90s Gaultier Dress set us back around £400 over a decade ago, however, "Never Forget You" has been streamed over 3 billion times and has had a recent revival on TikTok, so I guess the dress was worth every penny! The dress is uncompromisingly fitting, so please wear it at your own risk"

- Shingai says about the dress.

A Golden Sequin Halterneck Top Worn For The 'Wild Young Hearts' Album Cover Photoshoot, 2009

Black fabric embroidered and embellished with gold sequins and thread, unlabelled, backless design, as worn by Shingai in various shots from the cover photo shoot for The Noisettes album 'Wild Young Hearts' in 2009.

About the top Shingai says:

The photo shoot for the Wild Young Hearts album artwork had to be epic and reflect my love of nature which still runs through my style. I love the contrast of this gold '70s style halter neck top against the red flowers. Nasrin Jean-Baptise was my stylist at that time, and we created some unforgettable looks together across our three albums and countless tours between 2008-2013.

My style is eccentric, yet reflective of my Bantu and South London roots. Nasrin was such a key part of translating my visual identity to the record label and an industry that was then narrow-minded regarding how women of colour were allowed to express themselves across mainstream media. We really changed the game in terms of the landscape of music and fashion, paving the way for women of colour such as Janelle Monae, Lizzo, Solange, Lianne La Havas & Laura Mvula to be more carefree in their style choices. - Shingai Shonhiwa.

A Stage Worn Dolce & Gabbana Gold and Silver Lamé Top, 2009

Knife-edge pleated metallic gold top with a silver band to the waist, internal bustier with a zip to the side, as worn by Shingai when The Noisettes performed at The Annual Gift Guiding UK Big Gig at Wembley Arena, 2009 and Glastonbury 2009.

This piece was really fun to wear and more comfortable than it looks. I love pairing haute couture or exceptionally bougie pieces with my own eccentric flare. A top like this from Dolce and Gabbana would have set you back around £3,500 so to pair it with peach high-waisted shorts from American Apparel was a bold choice. I chose the lightning bolt leather guitar strap to match it with my Fender Jaguar Bass to ensure that even people way back at Wembley and at the main stage at Glastonbury could enjoy it
Shingai says.

A Stage-Worn Moschino Couture 'Golden Needle' Playsuit, 2009 

Black acetate and Rayon fabric with golden coated plastic needles hanging in rows from the bust, as worn by Shingai for The Noisettes gig at Scala London, 11th March 2009.

The show at the Scala was a pivotal moment for us [Noisettes] as we opened up for The Heavy who were huge in America. It was an incendiary performance and led to our first big American Tour. When I clocked this Moschino playsuit embellished with gold sewing needles it automatically reminded me of my grandmother. I was sent to live with her upon my father's passing when I was 9. She was an important matriarchal figure in our village not far from Lilongwe, Malawi.

She was also the most skilled dressmaker and designer for miles. Gogo (Grandmother in Chichewa) and I would bond whilst I sat at the base of the sewing machine, I was her little assistant, threading needles of all shapes and sizes as she proceeded to sew up my broken heart. That year spent with Gogo cemented my desire to create as I saw how happy it made people. I'd give anything for Gogo to have been able to see me shine in an outfit so symbolic of who she was - black & gold, but she passed away when I was 15. Her legacy lives on in my style, creativity and of course my love of unique playsuits. Shingai says About the playsuit.

A Tour de Force Stage Worn Red Three Piece Ensemble, 2011

Features trousers, a tassel corset top and an elaborate gold braided shoulder piece, as worn by Shingai at V Festival, 2011.

I'm a big fan of an outfit that can be worn in different ways, and this can either be worn separately or as one ensemble if you're feeling brave. This outfit was inspired by armour as on stage I invoke the spirit of the warrior goddesses that came before me using my superpowers to move the audience. We toured our music with creative audacity and would rarely turn down a show, so the sheer number of performances was a Tour de Force in itself. When Nasrin (my stylist at the time) and I discovered the work of Tour de Force - an independent, one-woman brand, we knew that she would make something unforgettable.

 

The contrast of sewing styles with the lattice embellishments on the hips and legs reminded me of my Gogo (grandmother in Chichewa) Elizabeth Nyika, as she never wanted to waste offcuts and would stitch together different fabrics into a cohesive piece. The more you get to know this outfit, the more you appreciate the finer details such as the tasselling on the waist and the statement shoulders that form dramatic golden spirals. Says Shingai about the ensemble.

A Stage Worn 'Broken-Heart' Jacket, 2012

Metallic pink fabric-covered hearts with African-style fabric trim, the front heartbroken and open, the reverse heart smaller and unbroken, worn by Shingai at the 2012 Olympic Festival.

This outfit means so much to me and I'm definitely going to miss it. It was designed in collaboration with Mieke Schady (designer & pattern cutter for Zac Posen) - a dear friend of mine based in New York. She really understands how we can take the Shingai stage looks to the next level. When performing, I like to make a statement so that the clothes match the essence and the mood of the music that I'm writing at that time. We were touring the "Wild Young Hearts" album and got the opportunity to perform at the 2012 Olympics Festival. The patterns around the side of the heart symbolize my Bantu roots - asymmetric motifs that the Ndebele, Xhosa and other Southern African artisans are known for. The gold represents the abundance of gold that we have within ourselves and beneath our soil and the heart shape represents my generosity of spirit and commitment to do what I love, which is music. Says Shingai.

Follow this link to check out all the items to be auctioned off.

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