It was a week of glamour and glitz, fashion and fashionistas, designers and drop-dead gorgeous models – and it was all from our wild and wonderful continent.
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”
Coco Chanel
The inaugural Africa Fashion Week (hosted by African Fashion International (AFI) and ARISE magazine) took Jozi by storm all of last week (12 – 19 July 2009) and culminated in the ARISE Fashion Awards held at the Sandton Convention Centre. The glittering event was jam-packed with A-list celebs who were entertained by international super star R. Kelly.
Diswcussing African fashion, Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe (Chairperson, AFI) writes on the Africa Fashion Week website:
“Africa has long been a muse for the arts throughout the world, most recently in fashion, with the world’s top designers choosing to look towards African techniques, designs and materials to ensure that their collections appeal to a wider global audience. Many great international designer houses have borrowed from Africa in creating their most recent collections, including Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, Oscar de la Renta and Christian Louboutin. There appears to be a new excitement around the African aesthetic, and we believe that it is time this is displayed to the world, from the source of this inspiration."
The following awards were handed out:
- Designer of the Year Awards –David Tlale (South Africa) and Tiffany Amber (Nigeria)*
- Award for Innovation - Ituen Basi (Nigeria)
- Emerging Designer Award - Christie Brown (Ghana)
- Fashion Business Award - Maponya Mall (Soweto, South Africa)
- Fashion Creative Award - Anglo Gold and Susan Hayes (South Africa)
- Africa Red Carpet Award - Kluk CDGT (South Africa)
- Africa Fashion Week Model award – Ajuma (Kenya)
- Most Promising Designer award - Eyola (Nigeria) and Heni (South Africa)
*Tlale and Amber’s designs will be featured at the New York Fashion Week in September.
Congratulations to all, especially South Africa whose star shone brightly on the night!
The success of this first ever event of its kind in Africa will surely pave the way for an annual African Fashion Week – we look forward to seeing what more African fashion has to offer in future years.
For a full slideshow of images from Africa Fashion Week go here.
(Images: Simon Deiner/SDR Photo courtesy Ladybrille Blogazine)
