THE keenly awaited Buyel’ekhaya Festival is coming to town with a new twist.
A fashion development segment has been added and involves an adjudication panel – including David Tlale, Iris Cupido from SABC Foundation, Thobeka Buswana from TruFM, Zikhona Ngaxa and Aaron Sepeng from Walter Sisulu University.
Recently Tlale facilitated the first Buyel’ekhaya Fashion Development Workshop with youngsters who yearn to follow in Tlale’s footsteps one day, at the Mariam Makeba Centre of Performing Arts.
The panel went through over 70 portfolios that were submitted at the workshop, with only a few making it to participate in a mentorship programme under Thula Sindi for a 10-day period.
“The eight will also design and produce garments from the Thula Sindi studios in Johannesburg,” public relations and marketing liaison officer at Buyel’ekhaya Pan African Festival, Phoebe Phokompe, said.
These garments will be showcased at the inaugural Buyel’ekhaya Fashion show to be held on December 18 alongside Tina Ngxokolo, Thula Sindi, Mozambican designer Taibo Bacar and David Tlale under the theme “Going Back to Our Roots”.
Phokompe said the vision for the Buyel’ekhaya Pan African Festival was to provide a platform that paid tribute to various and diverse African art forms.
“As such, the long-term goal is to continue to add layers to the festival programme which has the music concert as its anchor event.
“In keeping with this vision and with the support of the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Seta, SABC, David Tlale and Thula Sindi, the festival launches the inaugural Buyel’ekhaya Fashion Development Programme 2016 which is an empowerment initiative of the Buyel’ ekhaya Pan African festival,” he said.
The line-up for the music festival includes East London artists Mobi Dixon and Msaki, Dorothy Masuka, Black Coffee, Jonas Gwangwa, Babes Wodumo, Ringo Madlingozi and Siphokazi.
