The Free State Fashion Week, which has become Bloemfontein’s flagship fashion and lifestyle event, is set to raise the bar in showcasing creative trends to fashionistas. It returns to the event calendar as the rest of the globe recovers from the two-year Covid-19 pandemic disruptions.
This year’s event will be at two venues: Mimosa Mall from 27 September till 2 October, and the Naval Hill Planetarium on 28 – 29 September and 1 October.
Candy Smith, creative entrepreneur and award-winning businesswoman, founded the event in 2016. “Everyone in the world has gone through so much, both in their personal and professional lives. It is time to rise from whatever we have lost throughout the pandemic and take our rightful place and still manage to ‘Be Human’. This will reflect in the various designer collections this year,” said Smith, chief executive officer.
The fashion extravaganza is designed to exhibit creative designers by top and emerging local designers. “It will offer opportunities for fashion lovers and designers to promote culture, diversity and creativity,” she said.
In line with the objective of taking fashion to greater heights, two prominent and award-winning South African fashion designers, Gert-Johan Coetzee and Palesa Mokubung, will headline the Free State Fashion Week Masterclass. Smith explained that this is a special programme designed to equip emerging designers with the necessary tools and skills to set up a sustainable fashion and manufacturing business.
Free State born Palesa Mokubung is a well-established, award-winning designer, and founder of creative director of her own brand, Mantsho, meaning ‘black is beautiful’ in Sotho.
North West born and bred, Coetzee is known for dressing South African and international celebrities at red-carpet events. He founded Gert-Johan Coetzee (Pty) Ltd.
Having fashion designers of high calibre ties with Smith’s vision to transform the Free State fashion industry into a globally competitive sphere of design excellence.
