Fashion Fierce: A Decade of Fashion

Fashion style stars that we spoke to after the event had mixed reactions to the event, although the general sentiment was positive.

Hafeni Frans, a fashion designer, costume maker and educator, did not hold back in his review of the event. “I love the incorporation of College of the Arts students as interns working backstage at the event. It elevated the event so much more as these students understood what was needed at every turn because, fundamentally, they understand fashion,” he said. Regarding his standout collections, Hafeni mentioned Andila Andila, Tai Exclusive and MN Creations as the best. “The others were a bit underwhelming because there was nothing that was following current trends – they were more ready-to-wear and custom-made,” according to Hafeni. He congratulated the fashion week team for a job well done, crediting the event for platforming Namibians beyond its borders, saying: “A lot of designers have been able to showcase at fashion events outside Namibia and that’s been a great achievement by this event.”

Fashion, style and media personality Nahenda Matheus raved about the event. “I had the pleasure of not only styling people who attended the event but also curating one of the shows at Fashion Week. All that adds to my portfolio, so I’m delighted to be part of the event and learn from the organisers. The platform has really enhanced the Namibian fashion space. It’s also because of this platform that designers like Melisa Poulton were able to go to Paris Fashion Week, so it’s only up from here for fashion creatives.”

Hilary Wang, a fashion stylist and brand influencer, recounts his best and worst from the event, saying, “I don’t know if I’m being too honest, but I feel like the designers were not being creative. I saw the same things from last year – a lot of repetition. The Top Score collection stood out for me. It was creative, unique and top of my list. I also loved Madawa Fashions and Begano Designs – they were gorgeous, and you could see there was effort put into them.”

Television presenter and influencer Aina Raiza Kweyo noted that this year’s edition of Windhoek Fashion Week was a true representation of a decade of Namibian fashion. “From the styling to the creativity that went into the production and the graphics, everything spoke to the growth of the event,” she said. She also noted how impressed she was about the calibre of the models who were part of this edition, “I remember I was a model back in the day, but now to see this year’s selection – from the old to the new faces – everyone fitted the brand. I particularly loved that they were celebrating our culture and heritage. It reminds all of us that we must embrace and hold on to our culture and document it for future generations.” On what her favourite collection was, Aina had no hesitation in revealing who impressed her the most. “Andila Andila’s colour scheme, the fabric choices, the models. It was just a good show, and I loved the pieces. I also loved that they were readyto-wear pieces that most of us could see ourselves in. Andila Andila absolutely nailed it.” She also mentioned King Araboi as her standout street-style collection.

The tenth-anniversary edition of MTC Windhoek Fashion Week was widely regarded by creatives as a resounding success, setting a new benchmark for the event. This milestone prompts a celebration of its journey and a hopeful outlook for the next decade, with the anticipation of even greater success, significant sector-wide improvement and accelerated growth for our talented designers.