FASHION AFRICA: YOU ARE THE YOUNGEST FIRST BLACK PERSON TO EVER REPRESENT SANLAM SOUTH AFRICAN FASHION WEEK. HOW DOES IT FEEL?

MILISUTHANDO BONGELA:  Amazing. A year ago, I was at fashion week and I made a pact with myself that within a year, I would be involved in fashion week in one way or another.  I’m glad that I’m not the face of fashion week because I think that afterwards, you become obsolete.  With this job, I’m gaining practical experience and an in-depth behind the scenes look and feel of how everything works.

FA: WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THIS YEAR’S FASHION WEEK(S)?

MB: They were very high. Last year’s debut collections set a very high standard. From what I’ve seen, I can certainly say that South African designers are inspired and continually growing in innovation, creativity and global relevance.

FA: WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGNERS THIS WINTER?

MB: Abigail Betz absolutely blew my mind. Story’s use of PVC treggings was absolutely amazing and out of the box. I thought that Clive Rundle’s The Riot was the best collection I’d seen the entire weekend.

FA: WHAT IS THE FASHION MOOD IN SOUTH AFRICA RIGHT NOW?
MB:  The pot is finally boiling over. For a while, with the launch of labels like Stoned Cherrie in 2001, it was simmering. Now, seven years later, we’re getting back to referencing ourselves as a society and there’s a youthful energy infused in all of this. There’s a lot of youthful, fresh and worldly talent in fashion that can compete on ANY catwalk in the world. Labels like De Mil and Zintle Makuva have taken menswear to another level. They’re playful, experimental in their lines, cuts and design. Watching the show, you could feel that their objective had been fulfilled: to manipulate the audience to feel what they felt when they were creating their collections.

FA: WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK THE BUSINESS OF FASHION SEMINARS PLAY?

MB: These are imperative because here, fashion editors, designers and fashion observers can converge and interpret the state of fashion and its genuine placing in society. One should be able to tell the zeitgeist of a society based on what people are wearing but more than that, all of this should be interpreted into something that can contribute to the economy. Currently, fashion contributes about R37 million per annum to the South African economy and is also one of the industries that employs the highest number of females. Now that we’ve increased our fashion weeks to Autumn/Winter, it allows for more investment to be ploughed into the industry and more collaboration opportunities between the industry and government. Fashion is not just a frivolity; it is an important stamp of SA’s culture and a significant contributor to our economy.

FA: WHAT IS YOUR FEELING ON THE NUMEROUS FASHION WEEKS SA HAS?

MB: I think its great because it’s a true reflection of where we are as a country .We’re a very young democracy - we’re in our teens and teens always have problems with their identity but as they live and learn, they grow into themselves. I think everything that’s happening in fashion is there to help us develop into something greater and more collaborative.  

FA: WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF SA FASHION?

MB: South Africa is a melting pot of marvelous and contrasting things. Earlier, one of the speakers said we are a bickering nation. He was right, we are but underneath that, another speaker said, we are a hopeful nation. It’s not going to take a few years to get us to where we need to be. Big brands like YSL, Dior and Prada took decades to build themselves into the pioneers of industry they are today. I think we must embrace our shortcomings and celebrate the multifaceted energy our fashion industry has. The world looks to SA for a lot of things and ultimately, the caliber of our people determines what talent we put out to the world.

Milisuthando is 23YRS old.

- Lelethu L.

Tags: Interview