August 13, 2007
By Millicent Kgowedi
TWO talented young South African fashion designers will be heating up the catwalks in Niger later this year, representing the country in the Africa is in Fashion (L'Afrique est á la Mode) competition in Niamey, the capital.
Both Joburg residents, Thula Sindi and Athi-Patra Ruga were among the 10 designers from across the continent selected to take part in the annual fashion event, which showcases the best of Africa's designers. The competition runs from 19 to 23 November.
Sindi studied at the London International School of Fashion in Johannesburg. The 23-year-old designer has dressed women such as international model Caprice and local celebrities Noni Gasa, Busi Luriya, Penny Lebyane, Bridget Masinga and Chichi Letsoalo. He has his own studio in Rosebank, where he produces elegant women's wear.
Sindi, fresh from Paris Fashion Week where he showed his latest collection to international fashionistas, will also take part in Joburg Fashion Week and Sanlam South African Fashion Week later this month.
Ruga is based in Fordsburg and has been nominated for the Elle New Talent Award for two consecutive years for his series of documentation titled "Die Naai Masjien Trilogy" that featured original takes on traditional menswear. He uses his designs to tell stories about the city in which he lives and work.
Niamey, the capital of the west African country, will be buzzing with designers from all over Africa during the four-day event.
"A committee of fashion professionals composed of curators, fashion designers and fashion critics selected the 10 designers out of 95 applications that were submitted for the competition," said Florence Sipalla, the communications officer at the French Institute of South Africa.
The other eight designers come from Ghana, Morocco, Niger, Uganda, Cameroon, Mozambique and Ethiopia. "The competition is aimed at young designers, fashion creative spirits living and working on the African continent or on Indian Ocean islands," Sipalla explained.
It sought to promote young African designers and to help them gain access to the international fashion market. Under the theme "Urban Africa", the participants are aged between 18 to 35 years. They will show off a wide range of streetwear fashions.
The designers will display 10 original pieces and will be judged by an international jury appointed by the Africa is in Fashion commissioner, Tilla Rudel, and the director of CulturesFrance, Olivier Poivre d'Arvor. It will include designers, journalists and fashion professionals.
First prize is a three-month residency in a Parisian couture house and help with designing a collection to the value of €5 000 (about R49 000); second prize is a month residency and help designing a collection to the value of €3 000; and third prize is help designing a collection worth €2 000.
The event is organised by CulturesFrance and Festival International de la Mode Africaine, or Fima. CulturesFrance is the cultural agency of the French ministries of the foreign affairs and culture and communication. It is responsible for fostering international cultural exchange.
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