FASHION & STYLE DIRECTOR OF VANITY FAIR MAGAZINE BORED WITH RED CARPET GLAMOUR OF FASHION WEEK AFRICA AWARDS

A design from the Taibo Bacar collection shown at Fashion Week Africa in Johannesburg. But some African prints got a scolding from UK fashion fundi Michael Roberts Picture: MOELETSI MABE
Image by: Moeletsi Mabe

Some international fashion press were vocal about the failure of Fashion Week Africa to run on schedule but most of the people who sat through the two-hour delay on Sunday night were impressed by the Africa Fashion Awards.

Michael Roberts, fashion and style director of Vanity Fair magazine speaking on Sunday evening while waiting for the African Fashion Awards ceremony to begin, He expressed his feeling towards the paparrazzi of the designers on the red carpet. "Do you really have so many red-carpet events? You aren't on Hollywood's doorstep.
"The glamour quotient is too high here. It's promulgated by designers who are feted but who have very little talent," he said.
"Television programmes portray fashion weeks as endless cocktail parties for celebrities.
"Fashion has nothing to do with celebrity. You become a great designer if you work," he said
Roberts, who said he won't be returning to South Africa, did have some positive comments to make.
"There are designers who are in tune with what is required from them. Taibo Bacar [from Mozambique] was head and shoulders above the rest. The clothes were beautifully made and had a modern take on Africanism. Print was used with restraint."
Roberts also liked Ghana's Kiki Clothing, and South Africa's Thula Sindi.
Matthew Zorpas, founder of The Gentleman Blogger, said the use of ethnic fabrics was not taken far enough creatively.
"I also saw bad stitching at a lot of the shows. Clearly not enough time is spent on production."
David Tlale, welcoming constructive criticism, said critics had to be well-informed.
"When it comes to African Fashion, the international media don't always get it.
"You can't come to Africa and complain that there's an excessive use of print. Prints might be a novelty on the European and American catwalks but this is their home."
He said that many events in South Africa required that women look their best.
Acknowledging that many previous shows had started late, Tlale said: "We need to fix this very soon, otherwise we'll soon lose the audience.
"I've learned my lessons and I have worked very hard to make sure that my shows start as close to the scheduled time as possible.
"We really do need to work on our time management issues."
African Fashion International, the company presenting Fashion Week Africa, said that thunderstorms and late arrival of the designers' guests had caused the delays.