Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa 2014 kicks off on the 29th of October, with 16 shows over four days until November 1st, at Melrose Arch, Johannesburg where over 30 established and emerging African designers will present their latest collections at Arica's leading showcase.
Organiser African Fashion International (AFI) has unveiled the line-up of talent from all over Africa – from Cameroon, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire – who are will be showcasing in line with this year's theme of Our Heritage Reimagined.
Sizwe Nzimande, AFI Group Marketing Manager, says "This year, we celebrate how far African fashion has come by bringing together the best design talent from the continent and its diaspora, who are both rooted in their African identity and reinterpreting it in an internationally relevant way. This will be powerfully reflected in the eclecticism, originality and spontaneity of all the collections on display,".
Day 1 of MBFWAfrica will present collections from Kibonen (Cameroon), Intisaar (Zimbabwe), Mille Collines (Rwanda & Kenya) and Taibo Bacar (Mozambique). The ELLE Rising Star 2014 show will see finalists – Chris Dawson, Tamara Cherie Dyson, Frances Pauls, Kelli Botha, Nadia Viljoen, Jeandri Britz and Michelle van der Westhuizen – compete for the title and the chance to design a capsule collection for retail clothing chain, Mr Price.
Day Two will bring collections from Tina Lobondi (DRC); Marianne Fassler and Spero Villioti (South Africa); Josh&Nicol and one of Africa and Nigeria's preeminent menswear designers, our very own Mai Atafo to the MBFWAfrica runway.
Day 3 is a real cross-section of the continent with Sheria Ngowi, John Kaveke and KikoRomeo, Carducci, Christie Brown, Loza Maleombho, and the Ituen Basi – from Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria respectively – set to bring their newest designs to the stage.
The showcase will close on Day Four, beginning with the much-anticipated capsule collections of the AFI Fastrack™ winners – Rich Mnisi, Jessica Ross, Nazneen Kagee and Tuelo Nguyuza – who will be vying for the title of AFI Young Designer of the Year. Next, the City of Tshwane Presents Show will bring out designs from Archiebald Monyepao, Dennis Maponya & Neville Masondo.
Finally, Murade (Mozambique), Nana Brenu (Ghana), Laurence Airline (Cote d'Ivoire) and David Tlale (South Africa) will unveil their latest collections and bring MBFWAfrica 2014 to its conclusion.
"Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa was the first fashion podium to draw the best of design from the continent and African diaspora. This unprecedented event has finally turned the international spotlight onto local designers – recognising them as more than dressmakers and celebrating them as trendsetters," adds Nzimade.
There's even more for fashion lovers as Melrose Arch will be home to The African Fashion Trade Expo (AFTE), which will run concurrently with MBFWAfrica 2014, offering Africa's latest brands and trends while providing invaluable networking opportunities to buyers, consumers, media and other fashion followers.
Finally, on the 2nd of November, a ceremony will be held to recognize African Fashion's finest at the prestigious, annual African Fashion Awards.
We'll have updates on additions to the line up and of course be following all the fashion so check back to stay in the loop!
Images – Simon Deiner, AFI
