IN PICTURES: Midrand China Town Celebrates Heritage Month In High Fashion

By Ntozanele Libimbi

The audience at the second annual Heritage Fashion Show held in Midrand China Town yesterday were left in awe as local shops at China Town showcased their garments.

The event took Juliet Keagile, who is an agent to the models that graced the runway, six months to organize.  Keagile said that the show served as a great learning experience for her clients.

“I am doing this using local shops for them to generate publicity and sales,” she said.  “I am giving my aspiring models the platform to witness what the industry is like; it’s intense backstage and as soon as they get on stage they have to be as cool as a cucumber.”

The garments on display covered a wide range of apparel that included African inspired clothing, a mesmerizing wedding gown collection that had many timeless pieces and a spring collection.

A modern twist on African attire

Proving that celebrating heritage can be done on a daily basis, one model dawned a pair of cropped pants with a black and white zigzag pattern. The pants were matched with a plain white shirt, complemented by a blue African print blazer and a green ribbon figure belt to add a pop of colour.

But the showstopper was without a doubt the red and blue Swazi inspired mermaid dress that looked regal alongside a short orange sleeveless dress. Staying true to that classic Swazi flair, the little orange dress had some black lace and an orange frill, and a picture of King Mswati III himself.

Wedding bells a ringin’

The standout piece among the bridal wear was a trumpet style gown with chiffon sleeves and flower embroidery. The room fell silent as every girl in the room admired the dress’ tailored neckline.

Springtime

The Spring collection made use of pastel blue and light material with floral inspiration; the three main pieces made a statement proving why blue should be the colour of the season.

What was most admirable about this collection was how it catered to men. A male model wore a black dashiki with yellow lion print. The shirt was matched with a pair of black skinny jeans folded way above the ankles to show off the dark brown leather shoes.

Male model dawns a black and gold dashiki.

Not just the everyday suit.

Make-up artists from Tehillah’Annah went for a more natural look to give a balanced overall look when coupled with the colourful outfits.

A simple white dress came to life when paired with a full beaded neckpiece that paid homage to the South African flag.

Heritage month is only celebrated once a year but these garments ensure the youth that celebrating your heritage is indeed vogue.

All images courtesy of Magnificent Mndebele.