Windhoek
Local designer, Matheus Erastus, is the Miss Grand Namibia (MGN) Best Overall Designer Collection following the second annual fashion show at the National Theater of Namibia (NTN) recently.
The show was organised by Zephyr Namibia and saw up to six ‘up and coming’ local designers competing for the title, with 39 models showcasing their garments.
Matheus will be on the judging panel of the main event of MGN schedule for July 9 in the capital. He will also be designing the international wardrobe for the winner of Miss Grand Namibia after the main event. The MGN finalists were competing for the Best Ramp Model and winners in this category will be revealed at the MGM main event. The show was a platform for designers to showcase their talents and for the models to get a feel of the ramp different from the pageant styles they are used to.
The show directed by Blesser Malkah opened with emerging designer Christine Visser from Grootfontein. Visser dressed the youngest finalists in silk bubbling dressess which she also gave them to keep.
Happy Xamises inclined to the denim concept dressing the Pre-Teens and Teen Finalists of MGN. Xamises is also an emerging designer from Grootfontein. Sean Renaldo Cloete from Rehoboth stunned the audience with his Africa Meets Sophistication Collection, turning the traditional Odelela concept into high-end gowns.
Maila Kouture had the edgy fun filled collection, which was based on a lot of geometry. Salmi Shilongo closed the show with an array of colours. Salmi’s collection had a lot of cocktail dresses and gowns, each girl looking and feeling like a real princess in Salmi’s designs.
The Judges were most impressed by Matheus collections, who displayed his talent for design with garments featuring neutral earth colours and a bit of denim. His collection was sophistication and the models felt amazing. He paired each garment with jewelleries that he made.
The Judges, Nikola Conradie and Chakirra Classen were very professional. They took a moment after the show to give each designer pointers for the future. “It was such an honour to have them there not only to judge but mentor the designers for future events,” says Magnolia Kuhanga, pageant director.
Unongo Kutako and Rachel Mengela were judging the models and the Top four Ramp Models, which will be announced at the Crowning Gala.
However, Matheus will be featuring another collection at the MGN Crowning Gala and will also be on the Judging Panel. Once Miss Grand Namibia is chosen, Matheus will be creating an International Wardrobe for Miss Grand Namibia 2016, which she will wear at Miss Grand International in Las Vegas in THE United States of America (USA) in October.