THREE OF SOUTH AFRICA'S TOP FASHION DESIGNERS, THULA SINDI, MARIANNE FASSLER AND GAVIN RAJAH, ARE TO BE FEATURED IN VOGUE ITALIA'S JANUARY ISSUE.

Nokwazi Zimo and designer Thula Sindi

The trio said they had been unaware of the feature but they had high praise for Italy's biggest fashion magazine, and for its editor-in-chief, Franca Sozzani.

This year, all of Africa Fashion International's fashion weeks have been well-covered internationally, including BBC Africa, the Huffington Post website, Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair magazine and The Sartorialist website. Africa Fashion International estimates the exposure was worth about R130-million in public relations. About 90 designers from Africa were showcased.

Fassler said yesterday: "A lot of garments were taken away immediately after my show [in Johannesburg], and one never knows what they will be used for, but [the Vogue Italia feature] is great and it adds to my CV.

"I think the editor believes in African fashion.When people become a bit jaded [in the fashion world], they return to a place with true creativity and they find it in Africa. We just need to make sure we keep producing quality."

Rajah, who showcased his spring/summer 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week, said that it was "great for the positioning of the brand" and he was already aiming for the next accolade

That big things are expected of the continent was clear from the theme of the recent International Herald Tribune luxury conference in Rome: "The Promise of Africa".

Culled: Andile Ndlovu-timeslive.co.za