Cota Fashion Show Is Back

The College of the Arts (Cota) held a fashion show last weekend at its main campus in Windhoek, where 24 students showcased their designs.

Cota hosts the fashion shows annually to exhibit its students’ talent and introduce the first years to what happens at fashion shows.

The fashion show was held alongside a music concert where students and lecturers showed their talents. Jackson Wahengo, the country’s most celebrated guitarist, was the guest performer.

Fashion design lecturer and show organiser Helena Hangula-Shinedima said the 2020 edition was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Cota celebrated its 50th anniversary. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic last year, we did not host our annual fashion show because of the rules and regulations that were put in place by the Namibian government. We unfortunately could not host the show because models alone already made up the restricted number of 50 people. The original show was expected to be held on 12 December 2020,” Hangula-Shinedima said.

Student designer Bethany Beukes, a third-year student, showed a three-piece menswear collection, ‘The texture of it all’, and focused on day-to-day pieces with a modern twist.

For her designs, Beukes used different white colours and fabrics such as velvet, linen and knitwear.

“My first idea for the collection was to use colours such as orange and blue, but I felt that white was much more appropriate. It looks very clean and sanitary. This was the perfect look that I wanted to bring out,” she said.

Beukes said she decided on an all-men collection because she wanted to bring out a special message.

“The message I wanted to bring across is that men don’t have to wear a plain shirt and pants or strictly a suit, but can also dress up and have fun with fashion. I became a fashion designer because fashion has a big voice in the world and a lot of what designers do can actually influence and impact the public. Through my designs, I want to use my voice to showcase positivism in the world,” Beukes said.

She said being a fashion designer is, however, not always all fun and glamour, and that it takes hard work to make it in the industry. She hopes to launch the first collection of her brand, ‘BeuKa’, this year.

Designer Teresa Kossengue showcased her ready-to-wear collection ‘The wonders of Three’, which was inspired by Maasai beadwork.

Kossengue used various colours such as red, white and blue for her collection.

“I chose these colours because one can never go wrong with them. They are eye-catching. White is, however, my signature colour. I used the mini-mart fabrics because they are very durable, easy to work with and affordable. Through my collection, I showed that one can be who they are and wants to be no matter the little or much they have. I became a fashion designer to give art a new dimension and explore worldwide more of my creativity. Fashion is an art, so what we put on or wear is art,” Kossengue said.

Third-year fashion student Helena Nengola showed ‘Lagoon’, consisting of three different looks for women’s formal wear. Nengola said the inspiration for her collection came from the beauty of nature – the sea and rocks that are found at the sea at Walvis Bay.

“I used colours like blue, grey and black. Blue represents the sea while grey and black represent the stones. I decided to go for fabrics such as minimart and pleather and windowpane checks. They are all breathable and easy to use,” Nengola said.

Nengola said being a fashion designer has always been her childhood dream. “I have the passion for creating. To all those who wish to pursue a future in the industry, I urge them to follow their dreams and to never give up. Yes, the journey is not that easy because there will always be some challenges, but with hard work and determination you will get there,” she said.

Hangula-Shinedima says Cota plans to have another event by November.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.