African fashion is evolving, and it’s beautiful to see designers become more conscious about the clothes they put out there.
African Fashion Spaces recently held a fashion exhibition at Beechwood Gardens, Hyde Park.
Hosted by media personality Shamiso Mosaka, the exhibition featured two brands, Long Season and OffMankind, who both excelled in creativity, garments display and conceptual presentation.
Breaking the ice was Long Season, whose showcase took place at the venue’s tennis court. Creative director of the brand, Kgomotso Kiggy, prepared a modern, slick black matt as a runway for the models to strut, with orange, bright beams to create wonder and suspense.
Long Season presented a continuation of “There’s No Running Away In South Africa”, a collection dedicated to Kiggy’s late grandmother Tokozile Jane Ndaba.
“The show is themed around catharsis and celebrating the memory of our loved ones. It is called ‘There's No Running Away In South Africa’, after a saying my grandmother would repeat to us all, which reflects the inevitable responsibility we all have towards ourselves and one another, and the needed courage towards progress,” explains Kiggy.
On the garden walkway, OffMankind, represented a collection of urban street wear infused with traditional African elements, creating a unique and bold fashion statement. The OffMankind collection reflected the brand's philosophy of embracing individuality and breaking away from the norm.
"We wanted to create an experience that was more than just a fashion show, an exhibition platform that would empower the greater creator economy. We want to showcase African fashion in a unique and dynamic approach within South Africa and going into the broader countries within Africa all of 2023.
“By taking the show off the traditional runway and into unique and unexpected spaces, we were able to create a one-of-a-kind experience that truly highlighted the creativity and diversity of fashion creatives that is inclusive of all subculture genres, that have a talent and passion within fashion,” said Jay Kayembe of African Fashion Spaces.
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