EAST London Fashion Walk, or ELFW as most fashion fundis know it, took East Londoners by storm at the three-day fashion parade held at Hemingways Mall over the weekend.
The show saw local designers pull out all the stops and turn heads, while models strutted their stuff on he runway. East London Fashion Walk founder, Siyanda Nela, of, said he was extremely happy with the designers’s work.
“The planning leading up to the show was executed well in a short space of time, and with of course hurdles along the way and with this show we wanted to step it up and show our audience what the aim or vision for the show is.”
Fashion design graduate Phindile “Pyra” Makupula said this year’s fashion walk felt more individual and personal because the show concentrated on each designer individually”. This year it was different for me, because I put so much effort into it and my work had a personal touch. The last song played on my show paid respect to my parents, and also paid respect to the African culture.”
Makupula locked the show down with some of her fabric labelled “correctional services” and her designers in handcuffs. The audience was kept entertained with poetry, contemporary dancing and some soulful acapella music. The venue alone allowed the guests to move around – and mingle – during intervals and some took a few moments to take photographs on the red carpet.
Another designer Thakazelwa “Thakie” Mhlomi who opened the show, wowed the crowd with her theme of hashtags that depicted every societal matter. “The show was beautiful. We have incredibly talented designers and I loved the concept of a three day show because we don’t really have platforms for local fashion designers.”
“I wont lie I was scared and nervous of how the crowed will receive my garments since they were rather unusual to some people,” she said.
Nela thanked the designers for putting on a great show and for embracing the platform that was given to them. ”I couldn’t be more proud or happier with the work and sleepless nights they put into their garments. I take my hat off to them,” he said.
