By Ogova Ondego
June 14, 2009
Mustafa Hassanali, Tanzania’s best known fashion designer, is set to launch Mduara, his Ready-to-Wear Prêt a Porter Spring/Summer 2009/10 Collection in Johannesburg, South Africa during the Arise Africa Fashion Week (June 12-19, 2009). OGOVA ONDEGO reports
Hassanali, on his seventh appearance in South Africa, is one of 52 designers from 21 African countries invited to showcase his creations over eight days.
“This is a perfect platform not only for networking but also for exploring market opportunities for the ready-to-wear market,” Hassanali says of the Arise Africa Fashion Week.
His Mduara collection, he says, “has been inspired by the sacred, savoury, significance, sensual, soulful, synergetic rhythms of our Swahili nation.”
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Hassanali, whose other appearance in South Africa has been at the M-Net Face of Africa Finals in Sun City (2008), Tanzanite One Jewellery Showing at Mining Indaba in Cape Town (2007), Durban Fashion Week in Durban (2006), Cape Town Fashion week in 2005 and 2006 and at Vukani Fashion Fair and Awards in Pretoria (2004), adds, “The vibrancy of our music, culture, myths and beliefs forms an integral part of our being hence ‘Mduara’. The local dance rhythms have inspired this ready to wear women collection which is an eclectic mix of tradition meeting modernity.”
He says his commitment is “to promote Tanzania’s creative sector, especially fashion, by emphasising the ‘Made in Tanzania’ concept.”
Hassanali is expected to be accompanied to South Africa by a media contingent to cover his showcase on June 14 and to report on the behind-the-scenes of the Arise Africa Fashion Week, courtesy of Vodacom Tanzania, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation and 1time Airlines.
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Arise Africa Fashion Week is the initiative of African Fashion International (AFI), an organisation that ‘strives to be globally recognised as the leading authority on African fashion-related strategic marketing initiatives and African fashion brands’.
AFI founded, owns and operates Cape Town Fashion Week, Durban Fashion Week, Audi Jo’burg Fashion Week (autumn/winter) and Jo’burg Fashion Week (spring/summer), in addition to other fashion-related strategic marketing initiatives.
Oh wow, I cannot wait to see Hassanali range. i am always looking for exciting and unique fashion and this sounds like creme de la creme.
Do you have any photos of some of his designs? I might have to google him and try and see if there is a Hassanali website
Thanks for this post