By Ella Bosman and Rebecca Rossouw
Under the soft glow of Stellenbosch’s Church Street lights, creativity blossomed on the runway of Fashion Galore on 24 October – a celebration of young artists who are redefining local style. With cocktails in hand and fearless silhouettes everywhere you looked, guests became part of the spectacle, showing that fashion isn’t just worn, but lived.
In 2023, the co-founder of Fashion Galore, Camila Nkhama, a fourth-year (Bachelor of Informatics Honours) student in, made her dreams a reality. She reflects on why she started Fashion Galore and her intentions behind it. “In 2023, I had gone to fashion events in Cape Town,” she says. “I always thought that they were so cool and inspiring. My thought was, why do I have to travel all the way to Cape Town from Stellenbosch if we could just have our own events here in Stellenbosch?”
Fashion Galore’s Instagram bio reads, “An event that creates space for creatives to showcase their talents.” Nkhama explains that Fashion Galore aims to celebrate all different kinds of creatives. From designers, stylists, artists and musicians to videographers and photographers. She continues to say, “I learnt that there is so much local talent and we actually don’t realise that until it’s in front of us. It then makes me realise that talent just needs a platform to be seen and embraced.”
Speaking of local talent, the event showcased a range of mediums from original designs to styled looks and even photography through the visuals played on screen. The collections of Styled by Fly First (Suxoka), Unravelled (Rebecca Rossouw and Jani Haup), Nokhence (Alizwa Sibawu), Amoeba (John Hendry), and Amalgam (Zahra), to name a few. Alongside the looks, the audience was serenaded with the melodies of Kean Serfontein’s saxophone and violin.
With more than 200 people in attendance, the event also offered the unique experience for designers to explain the rationales behind their work, revealing a deep connection with the past and the development of one’s personal style as inspiration for the looks. Solomzi Mphambo, BA (Humanities) third-year student and attendee, said, “It was amazing to see how people are just reflecting on where they’re coming from, their backgrounds, and how they actually incorporate it into current fashion.”
Nkhama and her Fashion Galore team have a lot more up their sleeves, and they will most definitely be back next year with bigger and bolder ideas. Follow their Instagram @the.fashiongalore to stay tuned in!
