It’s time to stand up and be seen …in South African designed and made, clothing. This is the call to action of the Wear SA Fashion Festival, a campaign that seeks to promote the South African clothing and textile sector, encompassing design, manufacturing, retail and consumers, encouraging them to become ‘Local Label Lovers’.
The Wear SA Fashion Festival is in conjunction with the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU).This year, Wear SA also added another event to its growing calendar with the launch of a ‘People’s Runway’.
Wear SA is a movement that seeks to include everyone in the conversation. It desires to make all South Africans aware of the importance of buying clothing and textile products made in South Africa. To that end, organisers are asking members of the public, young designers, dressmakers, pattern cutters, seamstresses and anyone involved in the wider fashion industry, to get to Canal Walk Shopping Centre on Saturday April 7 at 14H00, to stand up for South Africa, dressed of course, in their locally made outfits.
Bright and stunning. Picture: Supplied.
The idea is to make a colourful statement. A bold message that goes beyond the ‘local is lekker’ mantra, to ‘local first is best’.
“By buying locally made items, we, as South Africans, are helping to stimulate a sustainable industry that supports many thousands of
workers across the country. We speak about this often, but now it is time for us all to take this on board and actually do it,” affirmed Van Der Rheede.
Label detectives will be patrolling the crowds expected to attend the Runway, to ensure that everyone who will take to the stage for the grand finale is a legitimate ‘local label lover’.
Beyond the colourful spectacle, there will be prizes for best dressed member of the public – male and female – as well as opportunities for an emerging menswear and ladies-wear designer to be recognised.
Slaying at the Wear SA Runway. Picture: Supplied.
The Wear SA Fashion Forward People’s Runway will take place in the Centre Court at Canal Walk Shopping Centre on Saturday April 7 at 14H00. It is a free event – Join the movement #IWEARSA.