August 22, 2007
By Millicent Kgowedi
FORGET Sandton and the fashion district, the trendiest place in Jozi yesterday was the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, where the who's who of the fashion world gathered for the first day of Joburg Fashion Week.
Designers, models, fashionistas, beauty queens, sportsmen, a councillor and trendsetters spent a sunny afternoon on Tuesday, 21 August in Soweto, where upcoming local designers and veterans of the catwalk showed their spring/summer collections.
Member of the mayoral committee for environment Prema Naidoo was there, as were former Miss South Africa Thuli Sithole, sports presenter Robert Marawa, soccer player Brian Baloyi, socialite Babalwa Mneno and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who brought along her usual entourage. Still as glamorous as ever, Madikizela-Mandela was dressed in a fashionable ensemble of traditional spruced with royalty.
The City is the main sponsor of Joburg Fashion Week.
Colour, texture and fabric was the talk of the day, with the well-dressed guests rivalling the models in their elegant and flamboyant outfits. Three buses were packed with design students from
SewAfrica, a design academy, each dressed in their own designs. Full of energy and charisma, the students spoke enthusiastically about their creations.
Kliptown Museum
The venue, the Kliptown Museum, was found by accident, according to Precious Moloi-Motsepe, the chairperson of African Fashion International (AFI), the Joburg Fashion Week organisers.
Designer and musician Nhlanhla Mafu struts her stuff at the launch of Joburg Fashion Week (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
"I was driving around in the area looking for a venue for Joburg Fashion Week. As I was driving I saw this little building and I asked what happened in there. When I entered this museum I got goose bumps and I knew right there that I had found the venue I was looking for," she said.
She described Kliptown as a place with a vision to create opportunities; it therefore fitted well with the mission of AFI. "Soweto is a beautiful place. I was born here, my husband, Patrice, and many business people, politicians and sportsmen and women were born here. It is only fitting to have a world-renowned fashion show in the area."
The area was full of raw talent waiting to be uncovered. "We are here to popularise and engage schoolchildren in this industry. This is an untapped market," she said.
Developing new talent
The AFI's main objectives were to unearth, develop and grow skills in the fashion industry, Moloi-Motsepe said, adding that her organisation wanted to increase job creation and give everybody the opportunity to participate in the industry.
And then it was time for the catwalk. Talented young designers such as Mzansi Designers, Mafikizolo lead singer Nhlanhla Mafu, John Sithole and Sibu Msimang showcased their impressive collections. They were joined by three renowned couturiers, David Tlale, Thula Sindi and Thabane Mavundla.
Mavundla's designs have been seen in Moscow and Madagascar. His work is a subtle interpretation of African design that appeals to women with an eye for global chic. He was one of the four local designers who took part in
Paris Fashion Week recently.
He said at the time: "I was shocked and excited when I heard that I had been chosen to go to Paris. I am inspired by the endless creative possibilities of fusing Parisian chic with the richness of our African style, and I feel our unique African culture is still largely unexplored."
The colour, warmth and texture of David Tlale's designs have graced international runways for the past few years. Describing his work, his website says his label "embodies beauty without pretence and favours elegance over severity, thus answering the call of today's men and women for design that is young and bold yet also stylish".
Young designers
At just 23, Thula Sindi has come a long way since his days at the National School of the Arts. He creates elegant women's wear from his Rosebank studio, and his elegant black, embroidered and sequenced dress drove the Soweto crowd wild.
"I am very proud of the talented designers who took part in Paris Fashion Week," said Gavin Rajah, the veteran designer. "I am looking forward to providing guidance to the young designers, while focusing on developing their technical design skills necessary to allow them to compete on an international stage."
He has joined forces with AFI, with a view to nurturing design talent.
A front seat view of the latest fashions: mayoral committee member for environment Prema Naidoo and the City's marketing director Elsabe Booyens at the launch of Joburg Fashion Week
(Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
Moloi-Motsepe said South Africa had a unique diversity of cultures. With this diversity came countless numbers of combinations and inspirations. Given the proper training, encouragement and support, in this environment young design talent would flourish.
Over the next four days, Joburg Fashion Week shows will be at Mandela Square in Sandton. Tickets are R55; the shows from 4.30pm to 9.30pm daily. Tickets are available at Computicket on 083 915 8000.
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