Fashion Exchange ends on high note
The event brought together designers, manufacturers and industry experts.
THE three-day African Fashion Exchange (AFX) event ended on a high note at the Greyville Convention Centre on Saturday. The event, which was hosted by the KZN Fashion Council, brought together designers, crafters, manufacturers, buyers and industry experts together in the spirit of African fashion and creativity.
AFX project manager Xolani Zulu said there had been a great response from designers and crafters to get involved in the event which catered for emerging, emerged and established designs from across Africa.
In an address to guests, eThekwini’s deputy mayor Fawzia Peer, told dinner guests, “we want fashion to be produced locally and be internationally recognised.”
Dr Joy Ndlovu, chairperson of the KZN Fashion Council explained the fashion industry faced challenges of lack of skills and training and added that most studies showed there were problems with accessing markets, funding, and getting the right sponsors.
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“We just want to open up the industry so people can know where to go to and how to maneuver in this space. The AFX is a good platform to teach designers how to become successful business people,” she said.
“The knowledge-sharing sessions provided delegates with an insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the clothing and textile industry. One of the issues that cropped up in several sessions was how South African culture was being hijacked by international brands. It was almost as if people “did not appreciate what they had until someone else incorporated in their designs, ” one speaker commented.
Another delegate commented that international companies had been ‘smart while everyone else was sleeping.’ Businesswoman and panelist Erika Elk advised designers to stay ahead.”
Get into the market as quickly as you can and establish your brand so when someone tries to rip you off, a whole community will say that is not cool because it belongs to someone else,” she said.
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