Durban - After 23-years of recognising and awarding SA’s most dressed celebrities and socialites across industries, the SA Style Awards will, on Sunday night, be announcing this year’s winners in a glittery celebration at Sandton City’s Diamond Walk.
The SA Style Awards is an invite-only affair and is attended by Mzansi’s elite who lavish at the opportunity to put their best foot forward.
The event is curated by PR extraordinaire, Jill Grogor, and the judging panel includes celebrated designer, Gert Johan Coetzee, DJ and TV personality, Lerato Kganyago, award-winning stylists, Louw Kotze and Sarah Langa-Mackay, and TV mogul and businesswoman, Basetsana Kumalo, among others. This year’s event, themed ‘a touch of red’.
While on the surface these awards are about fashion, their mandate extends beyond the frivolous. They honour individuals who left an indelible mark on the home soil and also become powerful forces for change on international stages. These style icons need to also act as springboards that propel young talent forward.
The judging process is elaborate and intense to ensure that only the most deserving candidates walk away with this sought after award. The panel of judges sit in an assortment of meetings where they comb through volumes of information in each category. One of the judges, Basetsana Kumalo, will be presented with the Most Stylish SA Icon awards - this being her second time to receive a style award.
A brand new category: Most Stylish Changemakers, joined ten of the annual categories and will be awarded to two notable individuals Tatum Keshwar and Warren Wheatley, each said to represent what the title stands for - movers and shakers who are playing their part by inspiring, facilitating, mentoring, and collaborating with their community to bring about positive social change.
Somizi Mhlongo & Mohale Motaung will take home the Most Stylish Couples gong, while the Most Stylish Performing Artist in Film or TV will be awarded to Pearl Modiadie and the Most Stylish Performing Artist in Music goes to Nomuzi “Moozlie” Mabena.
Internationally acclaimed model Maria Borges, who originally hails from Angola, will be accepting the Most Stylish Model award, not only for her exceptional career she has built overseas but the compelling story of how she got to where she is.
Growing up in a fatherless, her mother dying at just the age of 11-years-old leaving her sister to fend for them, Borges made the decision to be model to help her sister with their University fees. Little did she know her sacrificial act would land her on international stages of Europe and New York city.
Other winners include Lezanne Viviers for Most Innovative Style, Melody Molale for Most Stylish Media Personality, Thebe Magugu for the Most Stylish Designer (Interior or Fashion), Ze Nxumalo taking home the Most Stylish Business Personality while the The Next Big Thing award will be awarded to professional makeup artist Thameenah Saint and influencer Mihlali Ndamase.
@AmandaMaliba