Woman power!
Women of the Year 2016 event celebrated fabulous females.
Our GLAMOUR
Joburg’s fashionable Hyde Park Corner was a stunning setting for our GLAMOUR Women of the Year 2016 awards in association with Valpré and Neutrogena and proud partner ALDO.
It all began at the sleek Life Grand Cafe, where our winners got to know one another over mid-morning coffee. Emotions were already running high when we learnt that we had two very special guests: Ruby Gangiah, mother of our media winner Kriya Gangiah, and Mpho Mathang, mother of our business winner Karabo MathangTshabuse. Sadly, our pop culture winner, Julia Anastasopoulos, and art winner, Nandipha Mntambo, were not in attendance as they were overseas.
Then it was on to the big reveal – a walk through the mall and the chance to pose next to the massive posters of our winners that lined Hyde Park Corner. Instagram and Twitter were taking note in a big way, and we were thrilled that #GLAMWOTY16 was already trending – as it continued to do for literally hours.
Our intimate lunch at the Southern Sun Hyde Park hotel was attended by a warm and welcoming mix of celeb and media guests, including Miss SA 2016 Ntando Kunene, boutique owner Peta Eggierth-symes, publicist Jarred Doyle, TV dynamo Sydney Mekgwe, marketing star Neo Merafi and presenter and model Naomi Noinyane.
Our sensational MC, actress and Neutrogena brand ambassadress Nomzamo Mbatha took to the podium in a striking design by Rich Factory, and she was joined by GLAMOUR editor Pnina Fenster, a proud feminist who praised the incredible changes that have occurred in the lives of women since the 1950s – the era when her vintage silk dress was made .
Things got even better when our winners came up to receive their awards, for their speeches evoked laughter and tears, touching both hearts and minds. The cherry on top of that? A glorious performance by award-winning actress, radio star and entertainer Taryn Louch, who shared hilarious tips for achieving GLAMOUR Women of the Year status (pink tutus, anyone?).
And the party didn’t end there, either. With the sun pouring down on the famed hotel rooftop deck and the mood high, it was time to kick off those heels, take in the spectacular view and raise a glass to the power, perseverance and beauty of the female gender!