15 Aug 2023

The just-ended Batho Fashion Week in Kasane presented  opportunities and exposure  for models and fashion designers.

The fashion week, held from the August 11-13, was strategically hosted at the quad-point of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe and attracted international designers, scouts and fashion enthusiasts.

One such model is Kavimba-born Felicia Sabuta, who was scouted in Kasane and offered a rare opportunity to walk the Batho fashion runway.

She highlighted on the sidelines of the fashion gala that 2023 had been a good year for her having scooped position two at the National Arts Festival in the modeling category.

The 27-year-old said modelling  was her greatest passion as it unleashed her inner boldness, “I am very reserved and shy and I struggle to express myself in public, however whenever I walk the runway I feel confident and powerful and my walk is an art.”

Sabuta said she believed Batho Fashion Week would open many doors for her to even walk international ramps.

She noted that the fashion week was a great opportunity as models learnt life and interpersonal skills from experts in the fashion industry.

The sky is the limit for the Kavimba-born, who highlighted that there was more for her to offer the world as she eyed winning an international top model title in the future.

For her part, 24-year-old Kgalalelo Alexander expressed gratitude to Batho Fashion Week organisers for allowing her to showcase her modelling talent.

The Kasane-based model underscored that she entered the fashion show with an open mind to learn and acquire skills and knowledge to further her passion for the runway.

“I am happy for this experience because we were scouted from different backgrounds, we learnt and drew motivation from each other.”

However, she stated that being a Kasane-based model came with challenges due to distance as most of the modelling agencies and gigs were in Gaborone.

Namibian designer, Belly Kasaona of Sitwala Fashion line stated that the fashion week offered many opportunities for his fashion house as he was able to strike collaborations with other designers from Botswana and South Africa.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality and standard of designs showcased adding that the models did an amazing job wearing his line.

Kasaona said there was a lot of potential for growth and future collaborations with fashion houses and models in Botswana. Ends