JOHANNESBURG – Designers showing this week at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa have been asked to re-imagine their African identity in a globally relevant way.
MBFWAfrica started at Melrose Arch yesterday up to Saturday, and includes 16 shows by established and emerging designers.
The theme is “Our Heritage Reimagined”.
“This year, we celebrate how far African fashion has come by bringing together the best design talent from the continent and its diaspora, who are both rooted in their African identity and reinterpreting it in an internationally relevant way,” says Sizwe Nzimande, marketing manager of AFI, the organisers.
Besides collections by well-known labels, MBFWAfrica will present capsule collections from designers competing for the Elle Rising Star 2014 and the AFI Young Designer of the Year titles. The City of Tshwane also has a showcase for emerging designers.
More than 30 of Africa’s top designers will present their trans-seasonal collections at Melrose Arch, Johannesburg from Wednesday, 29 October to Saturday, 1 November.
Selvin Govender, Marketing Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars says, “Mercedes-Benz South Africa is committed to promoting the best of Africa’s fashion with the third consecutive showcasing of the continents unique style. MBFWAfrica offers fashion patrons a diverse variety of trends from throughout the African Diaspora that embodies vibrancy, boldness and diversity.”
MBFWAfrica will celebrate Africa’s place on the global fashion stage, showcasing designers – from Cameroon, Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, Mozambique, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Angola. – iol
