Durban - The WeAreAfrica Fashion Spectacular is coming to Durban on May 23 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Top South African designers and their Pan-African counterparts have been invited by the Department of Arts and Culture to celebrate Africa Month in Durban.
Africa Month was launched by Minister of Arts & Culture Nathi Mthethwa on April 1 in Pretoria. At the launch, he said: “We will use this period to promote African identity, entrench African values and ethics, as well as strengthen existing collaborations in the continent. We believe our programme will contribute to the attainment of the African Union’s vision 2063 which strives for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”
The “We Are Africa” programme includes a strong fashion component in recognition of the powerful South African fashion culture that has developed over the past 21 years.
The fashion platform for Africa Month will serve as a tool to promote peace, friendship and integration within the continent and hopefully it will become a launch pad for many of the country’s greatest fashion success stories.
Produced by SA Fashion Week, the WeAreAfrica Fashion Spectacular will showcase African designs alongside each other – on the ramp as well as in an exhibition that will feature jewellery, millinery, footwear, handbags, craft and textiles.
Lindi Ndebele-Koka, acting chief director: cultural development, is responsible for the Africa Month Cultural Programme.
She says: “The WeAreAfrica Fashion Spectacular will allow us to open a dialogue among like-minded creatives from across the continent.” The runway show will include designers Fikirte Addis Yefiker of Ethiopia, IamISIGO of Nigeria and Esnoko by Chiza Ngulube of Zambia. Local designers, such as Sun Goddess, Rubicon, Gert-Johan Coetzee and Yadah Exclusive Designs, will carry the flag for South Africa in the womenswear arena.
Menswear designers such as Shaldon Kopman of Naked Ape, Amanda Laird Cherry and Charthu by Mike Narainsamy will also take to the ramp.
Lucilla Booyzen, of SA Fashion Week, says: “As part of SAFW’s developmental objective, the show will include emerging designers from Durban so that they may benefit from this opportunity to shine a spotlight on their work.”
Designer line-up
Ladieswear
Rubicon – Johannesburg
Yadah Exclusive Designs – Durban
Gert-Johan Coetzee – Johannesburg
Yefikir – Ethiopia
IamISIGO – Nigeria
Sober by Tsheto Mafokwane – Johannesburg
8th Wanda by Nokwanda Ngcobo – Johannesburg
Menswear
Amanda Laird Cherry – Durban
Naked Ape – Johannesburg
Charthu by Mike Narainsamy – Johannesburg
Esnoko by Chiza – Zambia
Hombré by Vanessa Pillay – Durban
Duke Clothe Your Soul by Sandile Duke Mngadi – Durban
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