Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town to begin from Aug 7 -

In line with AFI’s theme for 2013, the event will celebrate the strength of “Fashion, Art & Design” in the City of Cape Town leading up to the city’s status as the World Design Capital 2014. The event, taking place in “Women’s Month”, will also highlight and salute the impact that the fashion industry has on the lives of women.

MBFWCT kicks off on the 7th August with a Gala dinner hosted by the official event partner, the City of Cape Town, at the historic Civic Centre. The evening will include a fashion presentation from two emerging designers. One of the designers showcasing is Earnest Mahomane, a developmental designer being mentored by one of fashion’s foremost creators and MBFWCT’s event producer, Gavin Rajah. Also showcasing will be head designer Kelly Davids’ emerging fashion label, MilQ and Honey.

“Mentoring young up-and-coming designers, and providing them with access to top industry experts and opportunities, has been integral to AFI’s way of developing the industry,” says Bella Cebekhulu, Business Development Manager at AFI. She adds that “AFI is grateful to the many designers and fashion-insiders who remain open to welcoming new talent and sharing their skills with them.”

AFI has also curated a strong showing of successful women-led design businesses including Jenny le Roux at Habits, Gabi Rosenwerth at Rosenwerth and eponymous labels Stefania Morland and Cheryl Arthur.

“We are especially excited that, in keeping with our company’s culture of empowering women, we can honour the pillars of the fashion industry: the female entrepreneurs and design-leaders; the consumers who drive the success of clothing in this country; and the unsung heroines behind-the-scenes,” says Kyle Boshoff, Communications Officer. In valuing these heroines, AFI will also be presenting an exhibition titled “Women Behind the Seams”.

Staged in the form of an art gallery display, the exhibition was conceptualised by MBFWCT Creative Director, Gavin Rajah and will celebrate the women ‘behind the designer’; these are the women who translate a creative vision into the garments that walk down the runway.

This exhibition is the starting block for a year for a coffee table book, using these images as well as shooting other women in the fashion industry. These profiles will include fashion entrepreneurs, designers, models, producers and hair and make-up artists. This ongoing project will be finalised in August 2014 and released to celebrate Women’s month once again.