Emerging fashion designers and models showcased their colourful heritage apparel at the annual Limpopo Fashion Festival that showcases local designers from across the province.

The festival, in its sixth year, aims to promote the work of local designers and connect them with potential investors.

Organisers say they have seen an increase in the number of fashion designers taking part in the apparel festival including young fashion models confidently taking over the runway.

Some of this year’s featured designs were inspired by the country’s diverse heritage.

The ensembles featured during the fashion extravaganza did not pivot away from bold and loud colors.

“The colour combination was really good. And when I was young, I didn’t believe in myself, and I always doubted myself because I was in a special school, and people was telling me that I could not be a fashion designer because I’m in a special school and I’m not like other young women. I’m not qualified, and I also didn’t graduate. I just went to college to start my fashion, “says a fashion designer, Hope Malibe.

Costumes after costumes, garment after garment, Limpopo’s rich and colourful heritage was in full display.

“So, then me joining modeling and fashion like, its inspiring the world because other people can’t join the modeling, most of the people don’t know what fashion means. They will be like this girl is not wearing nice. No, it’s not about that, it’s about seeing the vision of the art. Today I am wearing green and a fabric that symbolizes a leopard. Since its Heritage Month, September, my designer decided to design this for me. To show the Big Five. What inspired me is my cousin, he always went to event to participate in the fashion industry, so I decided myself and also went to him so that he would help me where I can’t,” says one of the models.

Promote It, an emerging fashion company, collaborated with Shibombi Marketing are the brains behind the fashion kaleidoscope.

Despite the fanfare, challenges and tribulations are part of the routine many a fashion designers confront daily.

The organiser, Mojalefa Maboko, says the fashion show will assist emerging designers to bridge the gap between them and the market.

“The aim of the Limpopo Fashion Festival is to market the upcoming fashion designers and models to be recognized in the fashion industry. That’s the thing that we are trying to do because we have seen in the previous years that fashion designers, mostly here in Limpopo, they are going to fashion schools after completing in the fashion schools, some of them get stuck in the garages, some of them are stuck not knowing what to do next. Then we have seen that throughout this event that’s when they are going to meet their next clients. Because as fashion designers we are designing same garments,” says Maboko.

Talent scouts, fashion retailer outlets and fashionistas were in attendance–admiring yet contemplating prospects of breaking new ground in the much-coveted industry.

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