Second showcase for hair and fashion fundis
AFTER a successful Africa Eastern Cape hair and beauty show last year, local hairstylists and fashionistas will again be given a platform to exhibit their designs and share their skills.
This year, the event has been reduced to one day and takes place on May 20 at Buffalo Toyota in Beacon Bay at R100 per ticket. It will feature 12 salons and 15 designers exhibiting the best of what they have to offer.
Prominent fashion designer Sonwabile Ndamase, who dressed the late former statesman, Nelson Mandela, will deliver the keynote address at the event, while funnyman Isaac Gumbi will be the host.
The best hairstylists and fashion designers, selected by a panel of judges, will get the chance to showcase their designs at the Nelson Mandela Centenary celebrations in July.
Babalwa Ngaleka said she jumped at the opportunity to be part of the event in a bid to grow her brand.
“I wasn’t part of the show last year, but it was nice to see something being done in the BCM region within our fraternity and I am just happy to be part of it this year.
“As a designer, I have grown so much over the years, from designing strictly for men to having a broad range for men and women. I’m looking forward to engaging with potential clients who can give feedback about my designs and share what it is they’d like to see,” she said.
Buffalo City Municipality, Amathole District Municipality and the Eastern Cape Development Corporation are among the event’s sponsors, with the aim of supporting the sector and giving guidelines to aspiring stylists.
The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), as well as the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) are among those which will also host workshops to share information about how aspiring business owners can access funding through their agencies.
Event co-ordinator, founder of E-Studio Glam, Lwandy Ngebe, said this year the event focused more on promoting local talent, whereas last year a lot of attention was on national manufacturers of cosmetic products.
“We want to combat Afrophobia by celebrating cultural diversity through hair and fashion. As we are celebrating the life and times of Tata Nelson Mandela this year, our aim is to contribute towards the building of positive African societies free of hate.
“In our effort to promote social cohesion and peaceful co-existence in the African diaspora, we have invited hairdressers, fashion designers and makeup artists from the Eastern Cape to be part of this celebration, as we embrace what the Eastern Cape has to offer, as well as giving our stylists and designers the platform to unlock their potential in front of a broad audience.
“We also want to educate those aspiring to enter into the industry about how to go about doing their business the right way, having heard testimonies from others who may have started from humble beginnings but are thriving,” she said.