By Ogova Ondego
Published April 9, 2012
Tanzanian fashion designer, Mustafa Hassanali, unveiled Afrikalos, his 2012 collection that he said has ‘been inspired by the sight, sounds, rhythm, vibrancy and vivaciousness which truly defines the beauty of Africa’ at Arise Magazine Fashion Week (AMFW)Â in Lagos, Nigeria, in March 2012. Hassanali was among 77 fashion designers from six continents.
“The name of the collection, ‘Afrikalos’, is derived from two words; ‘Afri’, a shortened version of Africa and ‘kalos’, a Greek word which means beauty,” explained Hassanali. “The inspiration of chaotic Colour coordination and amalgamation of various textures of fabric and prints, which defines exotic meets eclectic version of innovation that is truly in motion.”
Arise magazine Fashion week was Hassanali’s second international showcase in the first quarter of 2012 after Bangalore Fashion week in the first week of February.
Hassanali, founder of the annual Swahili Fashion Week, has showcased in 24 cities and 15 countries: Bangalore Fashion Week, Sweden, FIMA in Niamey, Africa Fashion Week in South Africa, Fashion Business Angola , Colour in the Desert Fashion Week in Botswana, Origin Africa in Mauritius, Fashion Business Angola, FAFA (Festival of African Fashion and Arts) in Kenya, Afric Collection in Douala, India International Fashion Week, Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief, Arise Africa Fashion week, Durban & Cape Town Fashion Weeks, Vukani Fashion Awards in Pretoria, Miss Ethiopia Beauty Pageant, Mediterranean Fashion Festival in Sicily, M-Net Face of Africa, Mozambique Fashion Week, Uganda Fashion Week, and Kenya Fashion Week.
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Hassanali says he has just been selected by the minister of Youth, Information, Culture and Sports to sit on the steering committee that is set to select a national attire for Tanzania. He is planning to hold a Swahili Fashion Week in Nairobi on August 30, 2012.