December is full of festivities where people come together to share blissful moments. Fashion lovers recently gathered at the Mall of Africa in Midrand to witness the STADIO School of Fashion class of 2023 showcase their talent.
It’s a tradition for STADIO Fashion Design students to participate in a fashion show at the end of the year as part of their curriculum.
This is to ensure that they are prepared for the outside world and what to expect at fashion shows they might participate in in the future.
The fashion show produced by Umzingeli Productions and under the leadership of the esteemed Jan Malan, saw students from the fashion faculty unveil over 200 of their spectacular creations to industry leaders, friends, family, budding fashionistas and a distinguished panel of guest judges.
With denim being one of the biggest global trends in 2023, the first-year and Higher certificate students focused on up-cycling denim and using African patterns and textiles.
Second and third-year students focused on the African culture theme with a modern twist.
For the annual show to be a success, the upcoming designers were scrutinised by award-winning designer Jacques Bam, the director of The Bam Collection and Big Bad Wolf’s Fashion Blogger, Ricci-Lee Kalish, to make sure the collections were on par.
Maryne Steenekamp, Head of the fashion design school expressed how happy is she is about the future of local fashion.
“STADIO School of Fashion is committed to the future of fashion and retail, and our annual fashion show, therefore, serves as more than just a platform for students to showcase their learning and accomplishments.
“We are truly excited about the growth and change that’s taking place in the South African fashion industry and the potential it has for economic growth and job creation in the country.
“The garments showcased were truly African-centric with an emphasis on designs that are locally manufactured using local textiles,” she said.