Donna Collins
Fashion shows have always held their audience captivated, as leggy models strut their stuff on the catwalk wearing designer clothes and amazing outfits that inspires you to shake up your closet and trends.
Such was the enjoyable Rotary Fun Day Fashion Show in Swakopmund last weekend, which brought with it some lovely young models wearing evening gowns and cocktail outfits made by local designers. Over a dozen girls and boys from both the Tuhafeni Modelling Academy as well as the Rotary Interfactors, mixed the show with stylish ‘matric fashion collection’ and a range of striking garments from local designers such as Way Tailoring, Sharon Iyambo, Aune Petrus, and the Made in Namibia Collection to mention some.
The fashion show gave a platform for affordable evening wear by local designers, especially targeting Grade 12 learners attending matric farewell and other functions, who want to wear high fashion at prices as little as N$400 to N$1 000. The Tuhafeni Modelling Academy in Swakopmund was established by Joseph Elia last September, and has 25 girls and 15 boys on the books, with the majority from the coast as well as Omaruru and Windhoek. “We have had three big shows this year including Saturday’s modelling show, and are busy with the Swakopmund Fashion Week which starts in December,” said Joseph excitedly.
“The first show is held on December 7, in the Plaza Hotel displaying prominent Namibian designers, followed the next night with a show featuring designers from Botswana and Malawi held at the Multi-Purpose centre in Mondesa,” he added, saying auditions for the fashion show is tomorrow. Meanwhile, the stand out on Saturday’s Rotary Fashion show was undoubtedly the vibrant coloured satin caftans, which were all hand painted by local wildlife artist, Marilyn Holgate-Spall, and modelled by several of the Tuhafeni girls.
The flowing floor length garments in hues of bright pinks, purples, lime green and turquoise were each accentuated by a decorative animal painting that caught the eye, as the models pranced and swirled on stage.
From a rhino, zebra, oryx, elephant, cheetah you name it, the flowing texture of the caftans gave movement to each of the animals that were so vividly portrayed as a trend-setting collection. Tickets for the Swakopmund Fashion Week are available at all the Pick’nPay outlets in Namibia. For further information on the Tuhafeni Modelling Academy, contact 0814478846.