Umzimvubu Local Municipality hosted the seventh Annual Fashion Show at Emaxesibeni Multi-Purpose Centre, recently.
This year’s fashion show was celebrated under the theme “Exploration of grounded cultural heritage” as a way of embracing the African culture and heritage.
According to the mayor for this municipality, local designers from small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) took the opportunity, as afforded by the municipality, and exhibited their crafts and showcased their unique designs to the community of Umzimvubu.
“Part of the benefits of investing annually in such great work is growing local talent, as we see designers here today that were once part of the designer mentorship programme as new designers, with their clothing lines,” said Ndevu.
According to her, this programme also enhances local economic development and encourages heritage liability as well as creating jobs.
“We want to see Umzimvubu contributing greatly to the fashion industry around the district and the country at large, whilst changing the lives of young people.”
Ndevu added that more than 18 local designers, with unique design skills, shared the stage during the fashion show, competing and displaying their ability and talent.
She said that designers who participated were selected and awarded in three categories, namely the Best Newcomer Designer, Best Established Designer and the Overall Designer.
One of the winners, the director for crochet by Manini Company, Onke Peter, won R20 000 from this municipality. She is using crochet to do different kinds of clothes.
She confirmed that she dropped out from Walter Sisulu University (WSU) where she was doing an LLB Degree for the second year because she was financially excluded.
“I then took a decision to try something new; luckily I was taught by my mother to crochet clothes, so I decided to do this. I then learned a lot from YouTube; now I am able to crochet swim wear and other things,” said Peter.
She added that she was shocked when she won, because she did not expect this. Peter said that she would buy a tufting gun to make rugs.
“I enjoy what I am doing and I believe that it will put me somewhere.
“I also thank the municipality for what they did because now I will have some money to boost my business.”
