Mohalenyane Phakela
THE second edition of the Arts Week Fashion Fair which was held at Makoanyane Square on Friday evening lived up to its billing with exquisite designs from Basotho designers and spectacular presentations.
It became the first red-carpet street fashion show to be held in the country, attracting scores of people from different walks of life including the Tourism Minister, ‘Mamotsie Motsie, and employees of the ministry including one of the directors, Thabo Leanya.
Twenty local models showcased casual wear, beach wedding outfits and swimwear designs from eight local designers.
Each designer would walk onto the ramp after his or her outfits were showcased to pose with the models wearing her designs.
Minister Motsie also presented the designers- seven women and one man- with gifts for the superb designs.
The fashion affair was a joint initiative by the Beauty Pageant Association of Lesotho, Lesotho Fashion Designers Association, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture.
It was held as part of the annual six-day Arts, Innovation and Culture Week which was scheduled to run from 2 to 6 October.
However, due to bad weather, outdoor activities which included the fashion show as well as the carnival had to be postponed to last Friday.
The Arts, Innovation and Culture Week was first held in 2015 and it is aimed at providing opportunities for performers to meet, perform, share their musical achievements and creativity while enhancing their skills and collaborations with one another.
The event is also meant to foster pride in Lesotho’s cultural diversity, to foster unity in diversity, to create tangible communication avenues among government departments, religious and traditional leaders and communities.
Other activities include drama, conferences on women, youth and culture as well as a Lesotho cultural diversity lecture, poetry, contemporary and traditional music.
The Arts Week Fashion Affair was first incorporated into the national celebrations last year although it was at smaller scale.
This time it brought on board a South African consultant, Brian Erikssom who has been in the fashion industry for close to three decades.
He proved that he is an expert in the field by organising the well-received event.