As it turns out, Surf was South Africa’s very first washing powder. Yep, they’ve been keeping our clothes clean and bright since 1953 y’all. But now there’s a new kid on the block – Surf Auto. Specially developed for top loaders, Surf Auto blitzes the ‘hard to remove’ dirt that causes dullness. It also locks in brightness to help keep your whites looking as dazzling as the day you bought them.

To celebrate the launch, Surf invited a mix of media and local celebs to an uber glam dinner at The 12 Apostle’s hotel.

Highlights included free-flowing bubbles, a yummy truffle-infused risotto and an all white-themed ‘help yourself’ candy bar.  Totally worth the semi-trauma of having to shoehorn myself into a teensy white lace dress that I’m convinced has shrunk in the wash since I last wore it. Clearly I wasn’t using Surf Auto. It couldn’t be the fact that I live and die and foodilicious launches like this one and may or may not have walked off with a good eight pieces of coconut ice smuggled into my purse. Oh no!

The evening’s always charming MC was Jo-Anne Strauss who introduced us all to Surf’s new #WomenInWhite campaign. Essentially, the idea is that Surf wants to recognise inspirational South African women and inspire them to share their success story as well as a visual of themselves in a gorgeous white Black Coffee wrap dress that they gave to every women in the room.

Jo-Ann passed her dress on to Professor Rachel Japhta, a lecture who’d inspired her at university who’s now a Media24 board member before the evening’s woman of honour, sports presenter Carol Tshabalala, took the stage. She spoke about how she’d forged her path in a very male dominated sporting world via sheer determination and the belief that ‘nothing is impossible’. She then presented her dress to Hangwani Nengovhela of Rubicon Clothing. A self-taught seamstress, it took Hangwane a decade to build her brand.

So, now it’s my turn, to wear the dress.

I’m now supposed to chat about what I think makes me ‘successful’ but I’m not really comfortable with it. While I do see myself as a successful writer (I work like a donkey for various magazines, TV shows, ad agencies and PR agencies) I prefer to be self-deprecating so people will be fooled into thinking I’m a nice, sweet girl who isn’t arrogant cow in the least and then, if it’s necessary, blow them away with my bullet-proof CV forged by blood, sweat, tears and the long-term abuse of upper and downers. (Isn’t it nice to know that should my career result in the expulsion of yet more body fluids I now have a great detergent to keep my whites bright?)

So, who did I pass my dress on to? A friend of course! I’m very lucky to have no shortage of wonderful, inspiring women close to home and one of them is former local beauty queen and current fuchsia-haired hottie Chelle Lovatt.

Aside from being a kind, funny, smart, creative and ballsy human being that also happens to be born on the same freakin’ day as I am, Chelle is industrious to the max. She works as a fashion buyer by day and then comes home to run up satin pillow slips for her company Dear Deer. Made from 100% pure satin, they help your skin remain hydrated and less likely to crease up while you sleep – AND – all the profits from Chelle’s pillow cases go to various charities, particularly cancer-related ones as a tribute to her mom who she lost to the disease. If you’re looking for an amazing energy-infused gift for the girl who has everything and want to know your money is doing good, trust me, this is it.

Thank you Surf for a delish dinner in a room full of bright, inspiring women. Receiving your white dress was an honour.

Love, love

Leigh