Seriously, I'm gatvol of hearing Capetonians and Joburgers brag about how 'international' their cities are. I mean, the closest Pretoria ever gets to hosting big international names is when President Zuma welcomes foreign dignitaries into the Union Buildings. When I discovered the 2013 Mercedes Benz Africa Fashion Week event (boasting 20 runway shows and 30 designers from 15 countries) was happening at Pretoria's Tshwane City Hall a fortnight ago, I was like 'Yeah baby!'
Still, I'm surprised none of the starving models vomited and slipped on their own puke on their way down the catwalk.
At the show, I asked several people what they thought of the designers' ensembles and how Tshwane's fashion compares with the work showcased in the international scene. My first attempt was with a local drag queen.
Mooketsi: What do you think of the clothes on the catwalk tonight?
Drag Queen: I'm feeling that Mozambican Taebo Bacar's evening gowns. I'd definitely wear that, but with snake print heels from Thula Sindi.
At the bar, I encountered a beautiful blonde with a strange accent. Turns out she flew in from Sweden.
Mooketsi: Does Tshwane compare favourably with Europe's fashion capitals?
Swedish Model: Ja definitely. I was surprised to discover Art Neviole Emporium is from Tshwane. I thought he was international.
Mooketsi (clearing my throat): Wow. Um. Can I get your numbers?
On the last night, we were shuttled to Freedom Park for KLUK CGDT's show. The models actually strutted their stuff INSIDE the fountain's ankle-high water. I asked this Capetonian oke if Pretoria's fashion has anything on the Mother City's.
Capetonian Oke: Pretoria still has a long way to go if it's to beat us as a fashion capital, but we shouldn't even be competing against each other. We should unite as one fashion nation, cooperating instead of competing.
It's a nice thought, Cape Town. I know I sound a bit like some starstruck rural kid who's excited to have the famous celebs from TV visit his dustbowl of a town, but let's zoom out from the fashion show for a sec and examine the bigger picture. There's subtle racial beef in Tshwane, see? Blacks and whites even have different names for the city. While Fashion Week was getting rigged up, a few blocks from City Hall, the Boeremaag were receiving prison sentences for treason and attempting to assassinate Nelson Mandela.
A couple of years ago, the statue of Chief Tshwane outside City Hall was vandalised by persons unknown. I examined it up close at the show and was surprised to find its plaque had been ripped off.
So to me, this was more than just some fashion show with free Amarula flowing like it was the Apies River. It's not every day in Pretoria you get to see cross-dressing Tswanas and Afrikaners strut Paul Kruger Street in high heel boots while Oom Kruger's statue looks on in horror. This event helped defuse mad racial and cultural tension.
If this gig is anything to go by, Tshwane can live up to its slogan as "Africa's leading capital city", in terms of fashion, racial integration, and a few other things too. Just imagine Paul Kruger Square being used as an off-site venue if Fashion Week returns. Eish, let me STFU now, before I also get spray-painted and gagged with the Transvaal flag. I'm sure that by now you Joburgers, Capetonians and even you Durbanites reading this get my point: y'all better watch this city.
Images from: facebook.com/africanfashioninternational
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