A colourful street fashion show brought a street in Mdantsane’s NU14 to a standstill on Saturday as upcoming designers strutted their stuff.
The show, the first of its kind in Mdantsane, was organised by seven of the township’s aspiring fashion designers, who used Saturday afternoon to celebrate their clothes and shoes.
Glamour was brought to the dusty street as a crowd gathered to watch the dresses, trousers, tops, traditional outfits and wedding gowns being modelled.
Organised by the designers for the residents of Mdantsane, the show attracted young children, local artists, elderly people and many others from around the area.
With the music blasting on the side of the road and vehicles parked at either end of their makeshift tar ramp, the models strutting their stuff had a few challenges with motorists forcing their way past the blockade.
After starting three hours behind schedule the organisers said they were disappointed that the police did not respond to a request for their presence to monitor the event.
Despite the challenges they faced, the show received a good response from those who attended it.
Organiser Adida Mzukwa said: “The clothes were designed and produced by designers from Mdantsane – people who use the Mdantsane art centre and the municipal offices in NU16 to make a success of their skills.”
Mzukwa, 20, said the show was also a way of giving children, who did not have anything to do when not at school, something positive to do.
While motorists complained of inconvenience, children as young as three cheered with excitement.
Designer Nathasha Grootboom said: “I studied the art of sewing clothes at Buffalo City College and right now Adida does the designing of the clothes and I put everything together. On Saturday, I was the one who was dressing the models inside the house we were using.”
Although they were working from municipal offices for now, Mzukwa said their ultimate dream was to have their own boutique.
He said there would be more street fashion shows in Mdantsane, with different themes.
“We are planning to have the shows as a continuous thing. We will organise a more professional one next time and we are looking at having it in October after the spelling bee competition we want to have for the community in September,” Mzukwa said. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
Youth showcase talent in Mdantsane’s fashion show
The show, the first of its kind in Mdantsane, was organised by seven of the township’s aspiring fashion designers, who used Saturday afternoon to celebrate their clothes and shoes.
Glamour was brought to the dusty street as a crowd gathered to watch the dresses, trousers, tops, traditional outfits and wedding gowns being modelled.
Organised by the designers for the residents of Mdantsane, the show attracted young children, local artists, elderly people and many others from around the area.
With the music blasting on the side of the road and vehicles parked at either end of their makeshift tar ramp, the models strutting their stuff had a few challenges with motorists forcing their way past the blockade.
After starting three hours behind schedule the organisers said they were disappointed that the police did not respond to a request for their presence to monitor the event.
Despite the challenges they faced, the show received a good response from those who attended it.
Organiser Adida Mzukwa said: “The clothes were designed and produced by designers from Mdantsane – people who use the Mdantsane art centre and the municipal offices in NU16 to make a success of their skills.”
Mzukwa, 20, said the show was also a way of giving children, who did not have anything to do when not at school, something positive to do.
While motorists complained of inconvenience, children as young as three cheered with excitement.
Designer Nathasha Grootboom said: “I studied the art of sewing clothes at Buffalo City College and right now Adida does the designing of the clothes and I put everything together. On Saturday, I was the one who was dressing the models inside the house we were using.”
Although they were working from municipal offices for now, Mzukwa said their ultimate dream was to have their own boutique.
He said there would be more street fashion shows in Mdantsane, with different themes.
“We are planning to have the shows as a continuous thing. We will organise a more professional one next time and we are looking at having it in October after the spelling bee competition we want to have for the community in September,” Mzukwa said. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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