THABIE D NOMINATED FOR KATUTURA FASHION AWARDS
Botswana’s fashion brand ambassador to the world, Thabiso Dibeela of Thabie D is a very busy business woman. The Kanye born enterprising fashion designer appears to always be on the move, doing a bit of this and that.
She was recently nominated in the third edition of the Katutura Fashion Week Awards. She has been nominated under the International Designer of the Year Awards alongside seven other designers from countries that include Zambia and Nigeria. Other nominees in the awards include Annety Tantameni, Charity Simpande, Machi Muchindu, Rabecca Mwandunga, and Sharon Muatale, all from Zambia as well as Fidelis Usigbe from Nigeria.
The winners will be unveiled on August 28th at the Franco Namibia Cultural Centre. The awards are held under the theme: We are fashion- Unites diverse cultures and ethnicities. In total, there are 19 categories and they include awards for Modelling Agency, Child Model, Plus Size Model, Male Model to look out for, Female Model to look out for, Designer to look out for, Fashion Influencer, Stylist, Hair Stylist, Makeup Artist, Photographer, Beauty Queen, Male Model, Female Model, Designer, Brand Ambassador and Lifetime Achievement.
The initiative was established by Dennis Hendricks in 2019, the KFW, and it aims to unite the diverse cultures, ethnicities and traditions of Namibia, through the art of fashion and bringing global fashion to the people.
Dibeela is no stranger to the event, having first showcased at the Katutura Fashion Show in 2019. On the occasion of her maiden appearance, she also launched Blazed by Kganya, a brand that is inspired by her Fiveyear- old son. She explains that she is honoured to have been nominated alongside other African designers. “It really means that people are looking at the strides that I am making as a designer, and they recognise the part that I am playing in the industry,” she says. In other news, she tells this publication that during the biting cold winter, she always tries to conceptualise something unique for her clients. One of those creations is a winter coat that can also be worn as a dress. She also highlights that she is always looking for unique material that will set her clients apart from others. “I am always on the hunt for exclusive materials. And I want the type of materials that make my customers feel special,” she says. One thing that she had tried to do in order to maintain and still get new clients is to adjust prices, looking at the current situation of Covid- 19. “I make sure that there is a balance as people are presently not spending money a lot on clothes as it was the case before,” she notes.
Meanwhile, When Covid- 19 landed in local shores, it instigated something inside her. Besides being busy with her Fashion label, she has recently launched Kitchen Fair. The company seeks to serve wholesome meals to customers, and it is doing pretty well in the market. She has also launched her water and Ginger range, and will soon be supplying one or two retailers.