Fashion thrives in Mzuzu
Once again, Mzuzu designers last Thursday came out glowing at the inaugural Mzuzu Fashion Week to stamp their authority on the fashion map as they celebrated the African print, chitenje.
With a total of 39 designs on the runway at Grand Palace Hotel, it was evident that the creative industry, fashion in particular, has grown tremendously in the northern city. It is no longer just for entertainment.
The designers— Christopher Ngalu of Creative Base Designs, Towera Mkandawire of House of Towera, Elton Mascum of African Print Madness (APM), Kondwani Phiri of Sozo Wear and Kylie Uta Brown of MisK—proved that fashion can be used to effect desirable change on society, even if it means to raise awareness about breast cancer using details on garments.
The designers, mainly House of Towera, brought to light another dimension of fashion, where clothing can be used to explain one’s inner feelings and longing.
She showcased unique clothes, some embedded with details of a tail, just to explain without words her desires for happiness, courage, joy and confidence, especially when one dons her outfits.
The Think Pink session—where designers showcased pink clothes to support breast cancer initiatives—was one of the moments she exhibited such feelings.
The Chibanja resident had a long dress with a tail specially made to give back confidence to individuals diagnosed with breast cancer who may have lost their self-esteem to the disease which affects 1.5 million women worldwide.
MisK, on the other hand, delved into the versatility of the chitenje to come up with all sorts of attires—from shirts to browses, shorts to skirts and dresses to kaftans.
The highlight of her showcase was the kaftan worn together with a head-wrap (duku) to produce an expressive and colourful design.
Her focus, especially during the Think Pink parade, was on women of all ages to consider early screening and diagnosis of breast cancer rather than wait until it transforms into stages that would be difficult to treat.
The other designs strutting the runway advocated for the inclusion of people into fashion, notwithstanding age, race and social status—as bridal, casual/urban and evening attires were the main offerings.
Creative Base Designs was the most outstanding in urban/trendy attires. Its founder Ngalu showcased trendy clothing that were fused with western or Asian cultures—the highlight being men’s African print attire dotted with Indian details.
Sozo Wear, on the other hand, used elegant white materials fused with African materials to give individuals a signature look in bridal or evening wear.
APM, who was new on the runway since Kwanza PR started organizing fashion shows in the city, was on point with his desire to bring back old school designs into the current generation to create vintage designs that would stand the test of time.
