Malawi Fashion Week designers unveiled

Designers to showcase the inaugural Malawi Fashion Week have been unveiled with a promise from organisers to prepare for the best in the Malawi fashion industry.

The 13 that have been selected include four Malawian international designers based overseas. They are Constance Kankhulungo and Edna Mkandawire from South Africa, Mia from UK and Patricia Mtambalika based in Namibia. The well-known locally based designers include Arnold Gama and Felicia Susan Ngoma,” said MFW Public relations manager Hastings Kimpho Loka in an interview.

However, despite some of the celebrated designers registering, they did not audition due to one reason or another.

“Out of 53 local and international designers who registered for the fashion exposition scheduled for May 30 to June 3 at the Bingu International Conference Centre’s open arena, only 21 made it to the auditions.

“We are happy with those who came for they have shown the spirit of wishing to see Malawi’s fashion industry grow.

“Again, the figure of the designers picked is set to increase as five more; two Zambians, a Nigerian,  another from Botswana and Ghana are set to be joined by one local designer who made prior arrangements to audition or send their designs later,” he added.

For the designers to impress a panel of six judges that included fashionstas like Tamara Mlusu, who was chief judge, and Anita Wandawanda, they needed to parade 10 pieces of their creations.

“In the designs, the judges were looking for style, design, fabric detail, cut, creativity, finishing details, colour coordination, quality and durability. We are looking beyond MFW, therefore, we want designs that can be sold in high street shops both locally and internationally,” he said.

Meanwhile, all the designers that have not been successful still have a chance of showcasing.