Following the success of the MTN Bushfire Festival in Eswatini, the Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival is coming up as per usual.
The festival is a lavish two-day feast of music, fashion, entertainment and culinary exploits.
This year’s event will be “A Return to the African Future”, which celebrates Africa’s natural bounty, beauty and style, from the past to the present and onwards to the future.
It’s a journey of the senses, a re-imagining of our heritage and a preview of the design innovations of tomorrow.
Besides live performances from talented African artists and an extensive culinary programme, Luju 2023 will celebrate the transformative power of design and using fashion to shape future generations.
This year’s theme, “African Fashion Folktales”, focuses on craft mastery, with sustainable materials that become mediums for reclaiming ancestral stories. Through interweaving these tales of our past, we re-imagine our future.
The designers who will showcase their collections at the Luju Mastercard Runway Show include, Mbali Temantimandze Kunene, Nomi, House Of Diva and Ntrentre Couture Creations.
“The Design and Craft creatives will be tasked with creating a capsule collection to be presented as part of the, Standard Bank Luju Fashion Runway, on the Mastercard Stage.
“Working with local stylists, hair artists and models, the collective will create a pop-up fashion performance to be exhibited periodically in the Fashion Café Marketplace.
“The Fashion Café Marketplace is a hive of creative abundance, selling diverse African fashion, accessories and skin and hair care products.
“Festivalgoers can find a wide range of items inspired by African culture and heritage, including vibrant clothing, unique jewellery, and nourishing skincare products.
“Whether festivalgoers are looking to add some bold statement pieces to their look or want to incorporate natural, plant-based ingredients into their skincare routine, this marketplace has something for everyone.
“Festivalgoers can shop with confidence knowing that they are supporting small independent businesses and promoting the beauty of African craftsmanship,” says the organisers of the event.
After the fashion show, designers will also participate in the first market showcase to sell their off-the-runway collection.
They will do so under the, Artisanal Incubator Programme for 10 MSMEs, in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) Alliance for Action Programme, funded by the European Union.
Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival will take place at the House on Fire, Malandela’s Farm, on August 4 & 5. Some South African artists who will be performing include Big Zulu, Lloyiso, Sun-El Musician, Zoë Modiga and many others.