Designer may leave Bay for one of the bigger centres

BAY designer Thabo Makhetha revelled in her first outing on the South African Fashion Week (SAFW) ramp in Johannesburg on Friday night – but revealed she may follow other Port Elizabeth talent and leave the city.

Makhetha showed her Spring Summer 2015 range on the catwalk and at the SAFW Buyers’ Lounge at the weekend, where visitors had the chance to examine garments more closely and place orders.

“It went well, and it was a great experience,” she said of the reaction from the country’s top fashion specialists.

“I was extremely nervous because I felt the blankets had done so well and I was not sure what the reaction would be to something new.”

Makhetha is known for her popular KoboEa-Bohali coats made from Basotho blankets.

She was one of five designers selected for Lufthansa 1st Best Collections, with KwaZulu-Natal label Yadah Exclusive Designs picked as the winner of an all-expenses-paid fashion trip to Berlin.

-Gillian McAinsh