Final year students from STADIO School of Fashion, formerly LISOF, have ended their year with a bang, setting the catwalk ablaze this past weekend at their annual fashion show. More than 1,000 attendees descended on South Africa’s fashion epicentre, the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg, for the longstanding two-part event. The first in-person show since the pandemic attracted not only the who’s who of the local fashion fraternity, but also attracted celebrated brands like MAC and Graftobian who sponsored the runway looks and AfriMax, who covered the show for DSTV, with former Miss SA Shudufhadzo Musiḓa presenting.
Guests were left enthralled as more than 176 third year-fashion students seized the opportunity of taking their creativity to the catwalk, serving some 270 plus spectacular yet varied looks.
“Our annual fashion show is not only an opportunity for students to show us what they have learned and achieved, but it is also a fantastic stepping stone in them gaining invaluable exposure and making a name for themselves, says Maryne Steenekamp, Head of STADIO School of Fashion.
As the most progressive fashion design school on the continent, STADIO School of Fashion is committed to inculcating a sense of ethical fashion norms among its students, to lessen the environmental impact created by the fashion industry. This was evident in this year’s show. “I am incredibly proud of all those who took part – they pulled out all the stops and were especially unafraid to showcase garments that focussed on the fashion of the future, touching on topical discussions like upcycling and gender neutrality,” Steenekamp adds.
As always, an esteemed panel of guest judges was on hand to assess and grade each masterpiece. This year’s panel included Sharon Armstrong and Aspasia Karras from Sunday Times Lifestyle as well as members of the STADIO academic leadership team. They, along with all the other guests, were given additional information about each designer, as well as direct links to their websites, via scannable QR codes.
