[category]
[title]
South African fashion leaders convene with their African and global counterparts at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit in Moscow, Russia this week. A key feature on the international industry calendar, the summit attracted 15,000 attendees and delegates from over 60 countries last year.
What story is South Africa taking to this year’s summit?
Waving the South African flag at this year’s summit from 28 to 30 September are Soweto Fashion Week CEO Stephen Manzini and major retailer, The Space co-founder Colleen Eitzen.
The Space has spent the past three decades nurturing new talent, including Onkgopotse Mashika who infuses African design with bold silhouettes, Durban-born designer Sibu Msimang who was mentored by Colleen and many others.
Colleen’s presence at the summit is symbolic of taking Ubuntu to the global stage, as The Space has a solid track record of making sure that designers’ work is showcased in good retail environments with a skilled team to help them sell and further their careers.
The current economy and geopolitical climate make it even more critical for South African designers to engage the international community about export opportunities and new ways to enter the market. But even more importantly, charity does begin at home.
“South Africa is brimming over with raw talent just waiting to get their teeth into the fashion industry. As in most countries, it is quite difficult to get a brand going.”
“My belief is that new talent should test their abilities at home first, making sure that their product is market ready and that they have finessed their quality enough before exposing it to global platforms,” Colleen said.
Mzansi meets the world
While in Russia, Colleen and Stephen will have ample opportunity to network with and engage their counterparts from the rest of Africa as well as industry leaders from Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.
Some of the leading names in fashion who will be in attendance are Egyptian Fashion & Design Council board member Susan Sabet, Hub of Africa Fashion Week founder Mahlet Teklemariam, Seychelles Fashion Week CEO Tery Carola and many others.
Colleen says Africa has a growing demand for fashion design talent, as demonstrated by the various fashion weeks that take place all over the continent.
“I was fortunate enough to showcase a swimwear collection at Mozambique Fashion Week in December of last year. I was introduced to many local Mozambican designers and we were able to exchange information and learn from each other,” she said.
The summit also coincides with Moscow Fashion Week which takes place from 26 September to 1 October. Colleen expresses being excited to bear witness to the work of the Russian designers and to discover how different their interpretation of fashion is to that of Africa where her own knowledge has evolved from.
RECOMMENDED
📍 The best things to do in Johannesburg
🛏️ Where to stay in Johannesburg
🏨 The best hotels in Johannesburg
🍽 The best restaurants in Johannesburg
🍺 The best pubs and bars in Johannesburg
Follow Time Out Johannesburg on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram!