EAST LONDON- The Eastern Cape’s fashion industry is on the rise and the Buffalo City Metro(BCM) Fashion Fair 2025 is proof, the event held at BMW East London on 22nd February 2025 showcased the talents of local designers and models drawing a sizable crowd.
The Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture(EC DSRAC) has underscored its commitment to effective service delivery and the promotion of arts and culture as a key driver of economic growth.
According to provincial department spokesperson Andile Nduna, “The department has been entrusted with the significant task of promoting and developing emerging artists in various fields including visual craft and design.”
In line with this objective, the department recently hosted a fashion runway that spotlighted the talents of seven gifted fashion designers from across the BCM district. The event, which was part of the district’s expo featured a stunning array of temporary fashion design exhibits, including women’s and men’s jewelry, footwear and accessories.
In addition, Assistant Director of Visual Arts and Craft in BCM Sipokazi Sogoni expressed gratitude to attendees, designers, models and sponsors, “Your support means a lot to us. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
Furthermore Trade Investment and Industry representative from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation(ECDC) Zimbini Motshetshi emphasized the importance of supporting local talent, “We need to grow the Eastern Cape economy and that starts with supporting our own. We can’t keep supporting other provinces; it’s time to invest in our own local talent.”
Fashion designer Sinesipho Nqwiliso a Walter Sisulu University(WSU) alumni said, “As a designer since 2016, I’ve seen the struggles of our industry, this show was a huge success thanks to the people who showed up. Opportunities like these are crucial for designers and the entire creative industry. With support like this we can grow and believe in our craft.”
The recent BCM Fashion Fair 2025 was made possible by the generous support of several key sponsors. These included the ECDC, CORTEX HUB, Film HUB, Guild Theatre, Creative Cultural Industries Federation of South Africa(CCIFSA) and many more.
By providing a platform for local designers to showcase their work the EC DSRAC aims to contribute to the growth and development of the creative industry, ultimately boosting economic growth in the province.
Photograph: EC DSRAC
