Palesa Mokubung, Taibo Bacar, Anél Botha, Orapeleng Modutle, Warrick Gautier, Galluzzi e Gini and Quiteria Atelier To Dazzle Miss SA Stage With Their Creations!

LEADING FASHION DESIGNERS’ CREATIONS ON SHOW AT
MISS SOUTH AFRICA PAGEANT

Palesa Mokubung 
 Some of the country’s best fashion designers will be dressing the Top 16 finalists in one of the most spectacular and fashion-forward Miss South Africa pageants ever produced.

They include first-time Miss South Africa designers Palesa Mokubung – the first African designer to collaborate with the giant retail company H&M – and Taibo Bacar, who has showcased his designs in a number of fashion weeks internationally including Milan, Lisbon and Brazil.

Returning to design for the live televised spectacular are Anél Botha of Anél Botha Couture who is no stranger to the Miss South Africa pageant having dressed both Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and Refilwe Mthimunye at the Miss Universe pageants; Orapeleng Modutle, who has been called a “designer to the stars” and Cape Town-based Warrick Gautier.

There’s also Galluzzi e Gini - started by Cristian Galluzzi and Alessio Gini in Italy in 2002 - with their South African atelier launched two years later by Galluzzi and Claudio Sousa and Quiteria Atelier founded by Lebogang Kekana.

This year’s dazzling and unique swimwear has been created by Lloyd Kandlin and his team at The Costume Department who were responsible for the national costumes worn at the Miss Universe pageants by Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and current Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green.

Says Miss South Africa pageant coach Werner Wessels: “This is a celebration of South Africa’s finest designers who come together to showcase this country and its talent on Women’s Day.”

Palesa Mokubung, under her label Mantsho, has already had worldwide recognition, won multiple fashion awards and earned global praise for her work. Her designs have retailed in 61 flagship H&M stores around the world. She is delighted to be designing for the pageant and says: “I pride myself in making clothes for every type of woman.”

Says Taibo Bacar: “Expect chiffon, silk and lots of crystals. We try to shy away from using ‘African’ print because we want to show the world that Africa offers more than the expected fabrics and designs.”

Lebogang Kekana of Quiteria Atelier is thrilled to be back designing for the pageant: “My look will represent everything African, with all its minerals. For me the most important elements are culture and individuality; where each finalist comes from also plays a vital role.”

Anel Botha adds: “My passion is to make sure that each contestant I design for will have the confidence to excel in her quest for the crown due to the way she feels in the gown I specially created for her. Not all my designs will be typical pageant style, nor is the colour something you will expect! All I can tell you is that they will be noticed!”

Orapeleng Modutle explains his inspiration and designs: “This year there is an interesting play in the silhouettes which creates a beautiful narrative and synergy with the designs. We are also reinventing and introducing new detailing on the couture garments.”

Say Christian and Claudio: “We are always inspired by our surroundings. Africa is filled with vibrant colours and incredible textures and you will definitely see this being applied to our designs. By adding African elements, we can highlight what this continent has to offer to the world stage which can only play out in something to be proud of and positive about. Each dress is started and finished with the contestant in mind. All three of our designs will have different styles – from modern and sexy to playful and classy and chic!”

Cape Town-based Warrick Gautier regularly travels between Cape Town, London and Paris to see his clients and is inspired by art, music, architecture and his French heritage: “I will be showing my latest collection of contemporary and modern silhouettes, ranging from my signature sensual hand-embroidered powerful suits and short crystal encrusted dresses, to my long and magnificent red carpet hand-embroidered couture gowns. My work is ‘African Luxury’. It’s about capturing the essence and soul of Africa, cutting, draping and embroidered into modern and contemporary silhouettes for an international African woman.”

Says Lloyd Kandlin about the swimwear sequence: “The costumes are inspired by minerals so expect a palette of gold and silver with an interplay of soft and hard which is a metaphor for the many facets of women.”

The Miss South Africa pageant will be held at Time Square in Pretoria on Women’s Day, August 9. The designers' creations will not only captivate the audience in the Sun Arena but also the TV viewers watching the broadcast live on M-Net (DStv channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) from 17h00.

This year members of the public can vote for their favourite contestant on the Miss South Africa website at www.misssa.co.za. The winner of the People’s Choice will automatically make it to the Top 10 on pageant night.

There is close to R3 million in prize money and sponsorships for this year’s glittering pageant, with the winner walking away with R1 million in cash as well as other fabulous prizes. The runner-up takes home R250 000 in cash and all 16 finalists will receive R25 000.

Miss South Africa is presented by Weil Entertainment in association with Sun International and the LFP Group.

Tickets for this year’s pageant are on sale at Computicket Miss South Africa

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