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allows us to find many creative solutions to our challenges resulting in unique products that can be competitive internationally. And even with our imported fabrics and styles, Namibians have always found ways of giving these fabrics and styles a truly unique Namibian identity.
In Africa Fashion has always been something related to culture and in Namibia it has mingled with history. Despite the harshness of colonization, the western way of life can be seen in The Herero women who adopted the German missionaries' Victorian-style floor-length gowns, that they tweaked to suit their style with vivid colors and cow horn-shaped headdress. About you why the history has so well permeated the fashion style of Namibian women?
This is a tough question to answer, because Namibia is so diverse and consists of many different cultures each with its own unique history and story to tell. Even though Namibians do not have an individual attire that represents all, Namibians have always embraced each other’s cultures and you very
often find Namibians from different cultures wearing each other’s clothing proudly because we are so united as a Namibian nation. This has however resulted in conflict as not all understand the purpose and symbolic importance of all the elements associated with traditional attire. For some tribes, when these elements are not worn correctly it can be seen as being highly offensive. However, I find these changes and modernization of cultural attire very interesting, because culture is not stagnant; it is always evolving and changing. I think this is important for our cultures to be preserved, because these are ways to keep the youth involved and interested because they are allowed to merge and incorporate the traditional with the modern.
Windhoek fashion week is only at its second edition that took place in November 2017, if the event was a success I would like to know why you haven’t organized so often a fashion week like other big cities around the world why it took you so long to get in the game, yet you have talented designers in your country?
Flashmag June 2018 www.flashmag.net