SA designer grounded

Xoliswa Hudson, a Port Elizabeth fashion designer, is one of three South African designers chosen to represent the country at an International Fashion Week in Cameroon next week.

But instead of being able to jet off and show off her designs to the international community she now finds herself grounded. South Africa's other two representatives are Johannesburg's Sonwabile Ndamase and Linda Sithole from East London.

Hudson, from Kaoz Afric designers, is now all dressed up with no-where to go. She was due to leave for Yaounde in Cameroon on Saturday. Apart from rubbing shoulders with some of the world's best designers she was also eager to show off her Mandela fashion collection. Hudson's designs have adorned a number of local celebrities from Makhaya Ntini to Miss PE contestants to members of Parliament.

Hudson told reporters: "I wanted to showcase the Eastern Cape, the African touch. I wanted to sell, to expose to market but things did not work out as I planned."

Organisers of the International Fashion Week sponsored her accomodation and ramp costs. But she cannot afford to pay for her flight to Cameroon.

Xoliswa started her small business eight years ago. The Yaounde Fashion week will start on February 17 and will play host to a number of Parisian designers.