Flaunting style on the runway for SA
A LOCAL model from the Cape Flats, Dylan Wentzel is making waves on the African continent, after he was the only South African nominated for Model of the Year Africa in this year’s Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards taking place in Uganda next month.
He is currently asking everyone to vote as he represents the country against other nominees from Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Cameroon and Congo.
Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards is an African fashion award that annually celebrates and acknowledges fashion industry stakeholders in the African continent and beyond.
This glitz and glam event has been held in Uganda, since its inaugural ceremony in 2013.
Two months ago, Wentzel received the news that he would be flying to Uganda next week, for the awards which take place on December 7.
“I am very excited. I never expected this,” said Wentzel.
While he initially had dreams of becoming a soccer player, life surprised him when he was scouted while modelling, in a show his friend organised, called the Odyssey Fashion project.
“Modelling wasn’t on my mind, I have wanted to be a soccer player since primary school.
“My friends were involved in directing the Odyssey show and asked me to model in 2015 but I had a soccer match, so I just had the match that day, but I said I would come and help set up. In 2016, I decided to participate and I liked the feel of it, walking to music with nice clothes on. Then last year I did it again and got scouted.”
Wentzel was scouted by 20 Management: Model Agency in Cape Town. He has since also been signed to Ice Models in Johannesburg.
“When I started I was just going to castings and never landed jobs.
“Then someone advised me to take part in SA Menswear and after that I got so much exposure,” he said.
He walked three three major fashion shows including SA Menswear, AFI Fashion Week and SA Fashion Week for top designers David Tlale, Rich Mnisi, Maxhosa Laduma, CSquared, Tokyo James, Throwawaytwenty, Oneiam and ALC.
Voting can be done at https:// abryanzstyleandfashionawards.com/ myvote under the category Model of the Year Africa.