Fashion pack kick up heels at rugby stadium
[caption id="attachment_224032" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Models, from left, Siphosihle Blanket, Siphokazi Ncapayi, model manager Lwethu Tenge and Lebo Letseka are wearing dresses by Culture Cut, Thando Piliso and Cleo Allison Picture: Brian Witbooi[/caption]
The glossy posse kicks up its heels on rugby turf today when Nelson Mandela Bay Fashion Week brings its Build Up Show to the NMB Stadium in North End.
Nelson Mandela Bay Fashion Week (NMBFW) is presenting ranges by eight different designers to give the public a sneak preview of what it can expect to see on the ramp from October 12-15 when the city’s second fashion week is held at the Tramways building in Central.
Today’s featured designers are Cleo Allison, Phatiswa Madiki, Algene Koeberg’s Culture Cut, Kira van Heerden’s label Kira Jade, Walk in Closet, La Nuestra Creations, Thando Piliso and FTEE Creations.
Allison, who showed her autumn-winter range in East London last weekend, said she was looking forward to the new stadium venue.
“East London Fashion Walk was really exciting, it was so nice to showcase to a new crowd. Tomorrow I’m showing the same range but I will be adding a few evening pieces,” Allison said.
“The venue is called the World of Windows as it has a glass wall and it overlooks the lake so it is perfect for a show like this.”
Piliso said he also was presenting new items in his collection of seven dresses, inspired by a visit to the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town.
“I’m all about maxi dresses for summer, so I’ll be showing long, flowy dresses in bright colours,” Piliso said.
MC Xolela “Boss Lady” Madlanga said she expected the afternoon to be “amazing” due to the range of young talent featured.
“This is just a treat, to take a look at a few of the designers who will be on show at Fashion Week and to create some hype around it,” Madlanga said.
“There are a lot of new faces so we will be highlighting these hidden gems. There are quite a few students, for example La Nuestra which does swimwear and Walk in Closet, which is very popular with the students for urban wear.”
NMBFW would include more than the eight designers who have work on show tomorrow she said. There also was a launch party on October 11 and a Sunday market on October 15 which would feature clothing, craft and food.
“And the fashion will not only be by designers from Nelson Mandela Bay but also our neighbours as several designers are coming from East London for the final day of Fashion Week,” Madlanga said.
Gates open at 2.30pm for the show and tickets are R150, on sale at Computicket. Tickets for NMBFW are also on sale at Computicket.
