Local talent shows way forward
Trendy, modern and oh-so-stylish were the overriding themes at this year’s East London Fashion Week, during which 15 Eastern Cape designers got to display their craft.
The two-day glitzy affair saw the designers exhibit a series of collections, playing with trending fabrics, texture and modern cuts, as well as traditional material, ahead of the summer season.
The first evening saw the focus on men’s wear, with Thakie Mhlomi of Mbasa Creations, Bau Instyle by Luyolo Dikilili, 7Bob by Phindile Makupula, and Archie Monyepao’s Monarch Couture among the brands on show before an intimate crowd at Hemingway’s mall.
Monyepao, a fashion lecturer at Walter Sisulu University, said his theme this year was aimed at raising awareness about people living with tuberculosis.
To highlight his point, 12 models dressed in outfits from the Monarch Couture range wore surgical masks covering their faces.
Saturday saw designers from the Mandela Bay Fashion Week also exhibit their designs.
Event organiser Siyanda Nela said the show had been a great success, thanks to the designers and sponsors.
“It has been amazing to see how some of the designers have grown over the years,” he said.
Nela also said they wanted to change the perception that fashion shows only exhibited clothing that people would not wear on a daily basis.
“We want to encourage people to support local designers and buy locally,” he said.