SWAKARA has once again stolen the hearts of international buyers at two recent international fur fairs.
Wessel Visser and Julene Meyer of the Swakara Board of Namibia attended the Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair in February, where products and accessories from exhibitors representing 16 countries. Over 7 800 buyers from over 30 countries attended the event, nine per cent more than in 2011. The Swakara Board had its own stand and showcased a collection which was developed in close corporation with Kopenhagen Fur Studio. ‘The Swakara garments that were on display were extremely popular,’ Agra said in a statement.A highlight of the fair was the Hong Kong Fur Gala which over 1 850 people attended. A fashion show at the gala featured 17 garments from Swakara. The Greeks were again active in the trading of swakara garments, and according to Tasos Sourtsos from the Bourtsos Bros Company, it went extremely well. Russia and Korea – two of the biggest fur markets – were the biggest buyers of fur at the fair and helped set the tempo for this year’s sales.The official fair management reports stated that it was the best year in their 30 years history and a projected US$257 million in business was written during the fair.Representatives of the Swakara Board in March attended the seventeenth Mifur, the International Fur and Leather Exhibition in Milan. Here Swakara shared a joint stand with Kopenhagen Fur. Besides the official stand, Swakara was well displayed by other furriers.The Mifur Gala 2012 also prominently featured Swakara.Swakara is high in demand and many companies indicated that they would have to buy fresh supplies of it at the upcoming auction in Copenhagen this weekend, Agra said. About 53 000 Swakara pelts will be on offer at this auction.During the Mifur fair the International Fur Trade Federation held its annual REMIX competition, aimed solely at young designers. This year the IFTF received 86 entries to the competition. The winner of the Namibian Young Designers Competition, Aili Nangula Elifas, didn’t reach the top eight of the competition, but many enquiries were received about her unique pink and black one shoulder Swakara dress that was showed on the Remix catwalk in Milan.
