Season 1
Cream Cartel is a South African docu-reality television series produced for Vuzu by New Vision Media which follows the daily activities of four eccentric Johannesburg friends - Choc, Guy, Abiah and Mome - who together form the Cream Cartel.
The series premiered on DStv's Vuzu channel on Wednesday 28 October 2009, at 19h30. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Synopsis
Cream Cartel is a show that has been tailor-made for young South Africans who want to ride on the leopard-print coattails of those defining the next big thing.
Enter Choc, Guy, Abiah and Mome – a foursome who put the ice into Joburg cool and who waste no time in creating the previously unthought-of whilst redesigning the status-quo through enviable fashion.
The show describes itself as "a blend of fashion, Africa, street, beauty amongst the rubble, and creativity blooming within the most unlikely place".
Cream Cartel follows the daily activities of these four individuals, flipping the script on what television viewers previously thought of the "typical black Joburger" and the role fashion plays in their lives.
In the hands of Choc, Guy, Abiah and Mome nothing is ordinary and even the most arbitrary activities are covered – whether it’s creating a garment or having lunch or going on a sight-seeing tour of Jozi.
Driving the action are the personalities of each character – each distinct and devoted to fashion.
Choc is a hardcore, streetwise, rule-breaking, Superman-adoring, skating, Japan-loving, Chocolate-eating, loudmouth who is only kept in line by the odd klap from his ‘big sister’, Mome.
Leopard print-loving Mome is the female version of Choc – think a Lauryn Hill, take-no-prisoners woman who is skeptical of people and situations but will be your friend for life if you earn her trust.
Pink pants-wearing Abiah is the creative member of the Cartel. A bit of a diva, something of a poser and always sporting a mad dress sense, Abiah loves the Sandton-style high life, mulling over his latest inspiration whilst sipping Rooibos or lattes.
He also has a secret crush on Choc.
Finally there’s Guy, the “clever” boy in the bunch who takes his vegetarianism as far as turning his dog Spoonki into a non-meat eater too.
Prim, proper and not adverse to rabbiting on and on with big words, Guy is known for his love of animals and his design of doggie attire, whilst trying to contend with a loathing of dirt, OCD and always being mistaken for not being straight.
The series debuted on the web on Monday 26 October, 2009 before its television broadcast premiere date on Wednesday 28 October.
Seasons
All seasons aired exclusively on Vuzu, on Wednesdays at 19h30. There are 13 half-hour episodes per season.
Season 1
Premiere: 28 October 2009 | Finale: 20 January 2010
Season 2
Premiere: 21 July 2010 | Finale: 13 October 2010