Malawi designer Alfonso heads to Barcelona for fashion week
Malawi’s top fashion designer Lilly Alfonso is expected to fly to Barcelona next month for the Barcelona Fashion Week where she has been invited to participate.
“I got communication from Barcelona last week that I should attend their fashion week next month. It is an honour to me and I am proud of that,” said Alfonso.
Last year, she was also invite to participated at the second edition of the Africa London Fashion Week.
The Malawian fast-growing designer said the Barcelona event will take place from 14 to 16 June and will draw several fashion designers from across the world.
According to the official website of the Barcelona Fashion Week, organisers will hold the first edition of Africa Fashion Week Barcelona 2013 from 13, 14, 15, 16 June which Alfonso will take part in.
Meanwhile, Alfonso hailed fashion designers at John Paul II Leadership and IT Institute in Chilomoni, Blantyre, for bringing children into modelling saying it adds value to the industry.
The institute through its Mother Theresa Children’s Centre paraded 10 children under the age of six to showcase designs being made at the institute.Bee Tailoring and Lilly Alfonso displayed various types of designs.
Wakisa Munkhondiya was voted best model whereas Mildred Malitowe was the best tailor and Madalo Nsewa came out the best designer and Alfonso awarded them with an opportunity to work with her as head of modelling and design respectively for a year.
Lilly Alfonso
‘Lilly Alfonso’ is a fashion design label that has evolved over the years to become one of the top fashion labels in Malawi. The whole phenomenon was born out of Lilly’s pure passion as a fashion designer, having discovered her passion for fashion at a very early age.
Despite the low level of development in the Malawi Fashion industry, she moved against the tide until the year 2010 when she won the Malawi Fashion Edition, popularly known as FAME, as the best fashion designer.
Lilly has been an inspiration for many women in Malawi with her clothing designs which remain current on the market trends and she possesses vast creative techniques, having a strong eye for colour, fabric, trim and embellishments.
Her work is a mixture of ethnic style with western inspiration. The first ever Malawian to earn a place to showcase her exquisitely creative designs at AFWL, Lilly is also involved in interior decorating for both houses and office.
