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Gone are those worrisome days when designers had to sew matching masks to go with beautiful garments.
Now that we are mask-free, we can expect to see people’s faces and their Fenty face beats that everyone seems to obsess over.
The biggest fashion weekend is upon us and South African designers are in their element and can’t wait to show off.
Zola Mhlongo in Indoni Fashion. Image supplied
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W24 chats to some designers ahead of the weekend. The theme of the fashion spectacle, Show Me the Honey, burst out all the creative ideas held captive by the pandemic.
It’s been over two-years, which can sound like a lifetime for designers as they thrive on creating work that compliments occasions.
To say Durban-based designer Kwenzi Nkomo who heads up Indoni Fashion is excited would be an understatement. “We have been on a hiatus for two years now, so it's exciting. We are going to show our garments in a proper way," Kwenzi says.
"From us, you can expect a lot of honey and a lot of volume."
Palesa Mokubung of Mantsho will be dressing racegoers but for now, she is mum on the details of who it will be.
“I’m ecstatic for its return,” Palesa tells us of the Durban July. “People always look forward to it because it has become a runway and lately people have been wearing local so it’s exciting for the designers as well."
We had a chat with her earlier in the year when the Bridgerton resuscitated our love for red carpet events. There, celebrities were draped in Mantsho and it will be interesting to see who who will be in Mantsho this weekend.
Conversations about the importance of buying local and reviving the textile industry in the country are always on top of fashion enthusiasts' lips.
“My greatest [hope] is that the South African fashion industry stays sustainable and for other designers to tap into sustainability. I hope that the event contributes to the economy immensely and that it maybe be respected and taken seriously by the Department of Arts and Culture,” Palesa says.
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South African Tourism (Sho't Left) is also looking forward to getting people to travel again and enjoy the beauty that is in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mashoto Mokgethi from South African Tourism says, "With everything Durban has gone through this year [floods], showcasing that you can travel within this great city and enjoy the beaches, while also attending one of the most fabulous events in the country, is what Sho't Left is about."
