About 46 designers are showcasing their creations at the Free State Fashion Week. The theme is “re-imagine your heritage and culture” in line with heritage celebrations across the country.
The show ends on Monday with a beauty pageant to crown the face of Free State Fashion week 2018. The glamorous world of fashion has found its way to the Free State and this year the focus is on the business side of fashion.
In its third year, it is already bearing fruit.
Two local designers will be showcasing their work in Turkey.
“We will be working with them and giving them more education on the business side. So for this month going forward, we will be focusing on the business of fashion, making sure that our designers from the runway go into business and they are about to bring money to the table at the end of the day,” says Founder of Free State Fashion Week Candy Smith.
Candy Smith, founder & CEO of the Free State Fashion Week during the #FSFWmasterclass at Sun Windmill. #FSFW18#SunWindmill pic.twitter.com/JQJPQmoIw8
— FS Fashion Week (@FSFASHIONWEEK) September 22, 2018
Professional designers are also sharing skills.
“In the masterclass now someone asked me about money. They said they make a lot of money but they don’t know what they doing with it. I said well separate your money; open a personal account and open a business account and start paying yourself a salary. The day I started paying myself a salary my business changed completely. The business account is there for you to first of all to fight unemployment. Maybe you have employed one person; so now maybe you can employ a second person and in that way your business can be more efficient,” says Professional Fashion Designer Palesa Mokubung.
Fashion students are dreaming big.
“It’s my first year and also doing my first range which was just five garments for the opening show of fashion week. I’m like one of the first students of Free State Fashion Hub. So, it is quite a big deal. I would like to see my name among Ester Leron and even Gucci,” says Fashion Design Student Melvin Jafta.
The fashion week is a platform to get exposure and to demonstrate that a rural province like the Free State can get a place on international fashion runways.
