Aletta Shikololo
WINDHOEK – With decades of modelling experience, setting trends and getting highest recognitions in the World as a fashion designer, Namibian former Model and Lecturer, Cynthia Schimming finally received a lifetime achievement recognition by the first-ever Katutura Fashion Week ( KFW) Awards held last weekend.
Born in the apartheid era, with roots of German and Herero heritage, 66-year-old Schimming is not just your regular fashion designer, she has lectured hundreds of young designers in the country of which most of them have their businesses and some are already making waves in the fashion industry.
Even though, she was grateful for the recognition from ( KFW) , the straight-talking Schimming said “ I was humbled and impressed by the fact that someone was at last happy about what I have been doing for so many years but at some point I thought to myself, am getting old and my designs are ending up in museums and now I got a lifetime achievement award but what people don’t understand is that I still have a lot to achieve.”
Recalling her life in her early years, Cynthia started modelling in the 70s when she was just about 20 years old and the talent which began as a hobby led her into a successful career and also grew internationally.
Even though Namibia fashion industry is still young and has a long way to go, Schimming said, the industry is growing just that it is growing in the wrong way.
“It’s like everyone these days is just a model or fashion designer and the quality of fashion is not up to standard anymore. A lot of fashion designers don’t take fashion seriously anymore, what most of them do not understand is that fashion is beyond the red carpet and one can do the most out of fashion design if they think out of the box and create authenticity,” said Schimming to Entertainment Now!.
Schimming complimented some of the designers that hit the ground running, giving an example of some of her students.
She said, “As a lecturer I know of some of my students that are doing amazing in the fashion industry while there are also some that are copying the work of others.”
How is the industry expected to grow when some fashion designers don’t work hard to create their work? Schimming asked.
She also commented that a lot of young Namibians can make a good living out of Fashion if they are hardworking, creative and business-minded.
“I would advise aspiring fashion designers to put much effort into what they do. They need to take the profession seriously,” explained Schimming who exhibited her work at the National Art Gallery yesterday under the theme ‘Fashion beyond trend’.