Fashion Ingenuity in a Recession

Arise Cape Town fashion week boosts SA Fashion industry

ARISE Cape Town Fashion Week is taking the recession head on and refusing to let it stifle creativity.

The annual fashion showcase which is held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre each year kicks off in Cape Town with a launch party on Wednesday 19 August and shows from Thursday 20 August to Saturday 22 August 2009.

The shows organisers claim that the levels of activity and creativity that are evident in the local fashion industry challenge the idea of a global economic crisis. With significant sponsorship deals, - most noticeably a five-year agreement with acclaimed Arise Magazine - and ingenious staging choices, the South African fashion community continues to raise the bar on fashion week.

For the first time this year, two big designers will be part of Arise Cape Town Fashion Week but showing off site. The two designers will be having their shows off-site this year as a result of privately securing sponsorship investment, something which AFI has encouraged and also supports financially.

Industry heavyweight, Gavin Rajah, will be showing his collection at the upmarket BMW Showroom, supported by the luxury brand. And red carpet favourites, Klûk CGDT, will be heading out to the wine lands to show their collection at Val de Vie Lifestyle and Polo Estate in Paarl on a leisurely Sunday morning. This level of opulent staging has not been seen in the industry for some years and it is encouraging that this year marks its return.

Even the designers who will continue to show at the core venue, the CTICC, have benefitted from sponsorship. The Cape Town Fashion Council have worked tirelessly to promote and nurture emerging designers in the region. This year the New Generations show has been sponsored by retail giant Foschini, who continues to drive forward an agenda of supporting young design talent despite the financial downturn.

This does not mean that the designers themselves are immune to the pressures of the economy. To the contrary, many of the shows will indicate a firm awareness of the need for commercial collections.

Both the Cape Town Fashion Council and African Fashion International have placed significant importance on business sustainability in their curatorship of Arise Fashion Week in Cape Town.

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