Fashion Week in Cape Town, South Africa promotes fashion industry development

South Africa held an event called Wear Only ZA (WOZA) in the recently held Cape Town fashion week 2011, which hopes to enhance South Africa's design and fashion industry.

The event was sponsored by the Cape Town Fashion Council (CTFC) funded by the Economic Development and Tourism Department of the Western Cape Province Government in South Africa to encourage more people to buy clothing made in South Africa.

Bryan Ramkilawan, Chief Executive Officer of CTFC, stated that “the design and manufacture of South African fashions requires an exhibition to make everyone see our talent and enthusiasm.”

Through the WOZA event, designers can showcase their brands in South Africa’s fashion online community, and the long-term goal is to establish fashion shopping stores and large retail partnerships.

Alan Winde, head of the South African Financial Development and Tourism Agency, said, “After the global textile trade quota system has been abolished since 2005, South Africa’s garment and textile industry has lost 80,000 jobs and is competing with sweatshops. The South African textile industry is operating In a difficult environment."

“In order to maintain and further create job opportunities in South Africa's textile industry, the textile industry and the government have seen local fashion design and branding as an important catalyst for South Africa’s entire textile and apparel value chain.”

CTFC members include representatives from retail chains such as Woolworths, Foschini, Monviso Knitwear, the Cape Peninsula Polytechnic University, the South African Garment and Textiles Labor Union, the government, and several fashion designers.