Seychelles Fashion Week showcases 16 designers in shortened 4th edition

Designers from Seychelles and other countries had the opportunity to showcase their designs Saturday at L'Escale Resort Marina and Spa. (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency)

(Seychelles News Agency) - The 4th edition of the Seychelles Fashion Week was successful in spite of constraints and challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the organiser.

"We managed to do it despite restrictions and we had to put in place several procedures for the event. But we made it. There is of course room for improvement and we will now evaluate and work on what needs to improve for next year," Terry Carolla told SNA.

Designers from Seychelles and other countries had the opportunity to showcase their designs Saturday at L'Escale Resort Marina and Spa.

Initially scheduled to take place from November 24 to 28, the 2021 edition of the Seychelles Fashion Week was toned down to a one-day event.

The event was launched by the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Sherin Francis, who said that Seychelles Fashion Week is a vital platform for the development of the island nation's fashion industry and to promote Seychelles as a tourism destination.

"It links us to the international fashion scene and it is also an important catalyst for raising the bar for local designers to produce high quality designed clothes for international markets," she said.

The event showcased the work of 16 designers, six from Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, and 10 others from Qatar and South Africa.

Initially scheduled to take place from November 24 to 28, the 2021 edition of the Seychelles Fashion Week was toned down to a one-day event. (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

There were 28 models showcasing the designer's clothes among whom three were from Nigeria, two male models and Miss Ideal of Nigeria of 2019, Sonia Ben-Woko.

Ben-Woko said that although it has been stressful and challenging, it was also awesome.

Separated into two segments, the Fashion Week started with Seychellois designer Emmally Hoareau, who is still a student and the youngest participant, showing her work for the first time.

Hoareau told SNA that she was excited to be part of the show with her collection of up-cycled outfits.

"I realised that with the financial difficulties some people are facing as a result of COVID-19, it would be a good idea to take old outfits, revamp them into something that is new and trendy," she said.

The first segment was mainly a South African affair.

"This fashion week is providing me with a platform to showcase my work in other countries," said South African designer Makhosazana Ntshangase.

Her Sistas Fellas line had many outfits that could be considered avant-garde.

She said that her "garments are actually ready for the world currently as I am speaking to you. My Instagram is my tool. All the orders that I am getting internationally are through Instagram."

Ntshangase told SNA that she believes there is a market in Seychelles for the types of garments she makes.

SNA presents a selection of photos of the Seychelles Fashion Week 2021

(Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY