Nthatuoa Koeshe
THE fourth edition of the Letsema creatives platform recently brought together food and fashion at a colourful event at Café What in Maseru.
This year’s edition brought together fashion students from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and culinary arts students from Dona@Balos to showcase their craft.
Founder of the platform, Palesa Mercedes Recalde, told the Weekender that they decided to bring together a fusion of food and fashion due to the similarity of their work processes.
“We focused on these two industries because of their similarities in terms of work process,” Palesa said.
Chef Mickey Mathai
“I chose the two institutions as a way of helping their students expand their experiences and create a space where they can freely express their creativity.
“We selected the participating with the assistance of the Limkokwing head of the fashion and Chef Veronica from Dona@Balos.”
Prior to this year’s event, she has held two events of the same nature in Maseru in 2017 and one in Los Angeles in the United States in 2018.
She said Letsema was conceived as a way of bringing together creatives to learn from each other, build each other, help each other and share their talents.
Palesa said plans were underway to hold two similar events next year, one being in Maseru and another in Cape Town.
Last month, Palesa held a panel discussion to gather opinions from different market players on how to perfect the event.
The initiative, she said, opened up participants minds with regards to the fusion.
“During the panel, we watched three videos from culinary and fashion industry experts and that opened our discussion with the local panelists.”
Among the panelists were Maseru Fashion Week Founder Keketso Nthongoa, Kevin Mokotso; 90s Baby Store owner, Nkitsing Kabi, the founder of Kasi Yum, a children’s feeding programme in Khubetsoana.
She said they discussed some of the similarities of their industries and the similarities of the challenges faced by the creatives in both industries.
