Designers showcase stunning masterpieces
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday June 4, 2024 08:27
However, Fashion Week of All Nations organisors have put it upon themselves to host a fashion show that showcases the forgotten local traditional wear such as makgabe, phaeyana and or tshega. The fashion show was hosted at Cresta Lodge in Gaborone on Saturday. The first showcase was of Tlotlo Masheng, whose designs included a grey skirt with a brown drop and a chocolate crop top, grey dress, boobtube dress, grey at the bottom and dark chocolate top, open side shirt with trousers and shirt and trousers. On the other hand, Gosego Pitse showcased a royal blue with yellow and brown circled decoration dress inspired by Nigerian culture with the same material; trousers and shirt two piece Other designs, inspired by Masai culture clothes were made by Barbra Rapulane. They included dark coloured dress, mini dress with makagabe and a beautiful head, fish tail dress with brown leather top. Rachani Tumediso Gaborone also showcased her first debut.
Her designs included the brown leteisi trousers and boobtube top tied at the back, brown dress highlighted with black material and a black and brown skirt with brown bareback top two piece. The designs were inspired by Setswana's traditional wedding affair. The male fashion designer who was also the co-MC, showcased the male collection including the blue German print shorts and shirt. The other male fashion designer who showcased children's traditional attires was Emmanuel from Ghana and included red jumpsuit, colourful Africa print dress and a colourful two piece set of trousers and a top highlighted with long lace open sleeve and an olive green dress with African print bowtie at the back. The last fashion designer was Baboletse Thato, whose designs included colourful maxi dresses of different designs and a skirt and top two piece from the same material. Other designers with beautiful designs are, Larona Baker, designs by Lorato with crotchet colourful designs and Connie Senyatso with earth colour designs, beige elegant dresses; some with makgabe and beads. Designer from Kenya Mercy also showcased their Kenyan Masai inspired culture.
The designs were in different red check materials. The last African collection designs were by Thato Mminatau with breath taking designs from brown skin like, chocolate materials, white and cream white mess like material. Her designs gave a tourism feeling with natural colours. The last segment of the show, was of the makgabe and tshega designs. Mminatau also showcased tshega and makgabe. She showed a black attire infusioned with makgabe for females and tshega for males. Olorato also showcased the Botswana flag colours crotchet makgabe dress made with wool, blue shorts with makgabe at the back and bareback top. Her tshega was on a crotchet shorts and a wool scarf crossing the male models shoulder made with brown and hand with white patches. Gaborone's Makgabe and tshega line included brown skirts with white wool makagebe at the front. For the male, she designed a tshega with brown and black shirt.
For her part, Barbra made a modified royal blue makgabe skirt. Furthermore, Mafitlhakgiosi cultural group entertained the audience with song and a poem. They also danced Hosana traditional dance. The energy, the speed at which they danced was unmatched and the facial expression and drama created when dancing left the audience asking for more. The beautiful thing about that traditional dance is that they ensure that their members of different age groups from the toddlers to the youth participate in their different Setswana traditional dances while engaging the audience. They also sang traditional choruses such as 'Re ba Utlwile Ba Re Seba Maabane and 'Pompela Terekere.'