Chris Theko
Lesotho upcoming fashion designers will battle it out for the Best Designer of Year 2022 Award at a fashion show to be held in Maseru from May 27 to 28 2022.
The King Moshoeshoe International Fashion Show, which will run concurrently with the long-awaited Mr & Miss Culture Lesotho beauty pageant grand finale, is purposed to give designers a maximum exposure to the market.
Operations Director at Film Sector Groundbreakers (FSG) Aubrey Selinyana told this publication that the fashion show was initiated in 2019 as one of the activities that should be celebrated in remembrance of the founder of the Basotho nation legendary King Moshoeshoe I.
“It is scheduled to be part of the much-awaited seven-day long King Moshoeshoe Film Festival which will be launched in March 2023.
“The show is a deliberate strategy to ensure that fashion designers and exhibitors both attain maximum exposure of their brands and fashion garments and expand their client base thus creating more opportunities for their business to generate revenue,†Selinyana said.
He said the show had a comprehensive programme for two kinds of fashion designers being the emerging designers and experienced designers. The runway showcase of the two groups will take place on different days where, emerging designers will showcase on May 27 and the experienced ones the following day.
The fashion show will be staged alongside the Mr & Miss Culture Lesotho Beauty Pageant.
“The intention is to connect fashion designers and exhibitors with many followers on the King Moshoeshoe Film Festival Facebook page,†Selinyana said.
The two-day show will kick off with separate master classes by three fashion experts who hail from South Africa and eSwatini, who will share their extensive knowledge in the sector, empowering both emerging fashion designers and models to understand the dynamics of the fashion sector.
A young dynamic multi award-winning fashion and shoe designer from the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, Luyolo Dlikilili popularly known as “Bau†will also attend the event. Dlikilili is also the chief executive officer of Bau Instyle CC established in 2009.
In the line-up is also Lindiwe Gigaba, who is a master in fashion design, visual arts, events conception and management, coaching and mentoring.
From eSwatini will be Mbalenhle Kimberley Manana, founder and chief executive of Top Models eSwatini, a modelling agency launched in 2010.
“We also invite people from around the world to come and visit the Kingdom of Lesotho to experience its unique landscape and rich culture,†said Selinyana.
He added that FSG management was committed to ensuring that fashion designers who did not live in Maseru found it easy and affordable to sort out their travel and accommodation preparations.
“We are adequately staffed to facilitate travel arrangements such as polymerase chain reaction (pcr) tests, crossing of the Maseru border, air or bus travel and collections from Ladybrand or airport in Maseru,†he said.
He said the other great news was the tour scheduled for the whole day on May 29 to visit Maletsunyane Falls in Semonkong. The beautiful and majestic 192-metre-high waterfall which is among Lesotho’s top tourist attraction facilities.
