The fourth edition of the Katutura Fashion Week (KFW) concluded in Namibia's capital, Windhoek, on Saturday evening, with innovation and inclusivity taking center stage.

Katutura, once lacking a platform for designers to showcase their talents and create opportunities, saw a change with the launch of KFW in 2019.

Dennis Hendriks, founder of the Katutura Fashion Week, said that the two-day event, held under the theme "Inventing Fashion Today," celebrates the fusion of fashion, culture and local tourism.

"The show is thus an inclusive platform for all emerging and seasoned fashion designers, models and artists to showcase items that highlight the rich diversity that defines our fashion landscape," he said Sunday.

The show attracted local participants and fashion designers from other countries, including South Africa, Botswana and Angola. Models walked a straight runway, showcasing traditional, contemporary and crochet outfits. Jewelry designs, featuring necklaces, bracelets and rings, added a finishing touch, while handbags and accessories crafted from repurposed materials complemented the various fashion pieces.

Participants laud the platform for creating opportunities for local designers. Naha Neumbo, a local fashion designer who is showcasing her collection for the third year, said that the KFW has catapulted her fashion enterprise.

Before the event, Neumbo, a fashion designer since 2011, worked from home, making outfits for friends and close relatives. However, her first showcase with the KFW marked a turning point, leading to a growing client base and an expanded range of services for a broader audience.

Since then, she has also designed attire for the country's official national pageantry, Miss Namibia. "It is really a marketing avenue for lesser-known fashion designers seeking to grow," she said.

This year's event placed a strong emphasis on sustainable practices and cultural preservation within the fashion industry. Neumbo's summer collection demonstrated her commitment to environmental protection.

"I used old offcuts from materials from old clients and patched them to create good summer attire. By not throwing this into the environment, one protects it," she said.

Meanwhile, the event's impact extended far beyond the runway, centering around inclusivity. It featured designs from participants aged 65 and 55, marking their first time showcasing work on such a stage.

Emgard Gaweses has been a tailor in Katutura since moving to Windhoek in 2008. She specializes in making local indigenous Nama tribe clothing, scarves with different pieces patched and traditional bags.

"When I moved to Windhoek, I hoped to earn money, so I started sewing by hand, a skill I learned from my mother while growing up," she said. With the income generated, she bought a sewing machine in 2011.

In spite of her passion and skills, she has never had models showcase her attire on a ramp or at an event. On Saturday evening, at the age of 65, Gaweses' designs were showcased at the KFW.

"This is my first time seeing my designs paraded to many people and myself getting on a stage. I had never imagined that this would be possible. I am happy," she said. Meanwhile, she hopes that the showcase will aid her business growth.

Similarly, 55-year-old Leentjie Gereses described her feature at the KFW as "a proud moment that seemed farfetched."

In early 2014, Gereses turned to her passion for fashion to fulfill her childhood dream. She wanted to supplement her income as a domestic worker and turned to her love for sewing.

"I used my aunt's sewing machine and eventually got my own. I started taking more orders," she said. As luck would have it for her, she got a call to apply to participate in the KFW.

"Whoever thought that such a moment could come at 55? It shows how one should never give up," Gereses said. With the showcase, she plans to expand her business of dresses, shirts, trousers and bags.

In the meantime, for the designers, participation in the event also fostered a sense of unity and collaboration with other designers, models and fashion enthusiasts.

"It was a good platform for networking and forming partnerships that elevate our enterprises," Neumbo said. 

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