Gaborone’s most exclusive venue, Sky Lounge brimmed with elegance as it hosted a lavish fashion experience on the night of July 4. Themed ‘The Lady In Red versus The Lady In Black’, the show was hallmarked by trendy dresses fit for any woman who likes to look both sophisticated and fashion forward.
“My fashion idol, Coco Chanel, revolutionized the fashion industry when she introduced the little black dress. It’s a classic item. For this show, we wanted to see what stands out the most, the elegant woman in the acclaimed little black dress or the powerful seductive lady in red,” said organizer and designer, Judith Matola.
The event was a fusion of a high end cocktail party, a fashion gallery and a mini concert. “We’ve been looking for ways on how to bridge the gap between the fashion industry and the entertainment industry. This event had all the aspects covered, something totally new,” revealed Matola.
There was an assortment of models, from slender figures to plus size, which was quite refreshing and had the audience cheering. The models strutted across the lounge clad in stunning black dresses and red cocktail dresses adorned in diamond pieces by Shrenuj Botswana and clutches by KenNdee. The slight chill of the night did not dampen their confidence or their poised walks. Attendees were also able to purchase what they were seeing on the models during the show.
“We wanted people to have an option to buy what impressed them, from the dresses to the jewelry. It gives designers the opportunity to commercialize on their creativity at events instead of waiting for clientele to approach us,” said Judith, who is also the brains behind fashion house ‘Jadark Kuvan’.
Highlights of the night included the stunning models and the music that set an enjoyable ambiance courtesy of DJs Ozzydagreat, Prince and local band ‘Taola’.
“I was quite happy about plus size being given the platform and having to share it with regular models. However, I feel Batswana still don’t know the value of fashion shows nor do they embrace talent. It’s going to be a long time until people can follow trends such as attending such events,” said plus size model and fashionista Bonolo Oabile.
