Lilly in BT to showcase creation to display in London
Music and fashion make the world go round and poetry makes the world a better place. Imagine your world with music, fashion and poetry wrapped together in one night; definitely it is a night out of this world!
This is how best to describe this coming Saturday night at the glamorous Protea Ryalls Hotel in Blantyre, where the cream of the country’s fashion, music and poetry will be meeting as fashion designer, Lilly Alfonso, will be showcasing a delectable selection of her exquisite designs.
And the question might be, so where is the mention of music and poetry coming from when we are talking about models on the ramp showcasing clothing? Simple. We are also talking about the best in Armstrong, the ‘Ndamusowa’hit maker, and the best in Q. Malewezi the poet, who are billed to spice up the show.
“I have always liked Q’s poems, to a point [that] I thought of combining fashion and poem,” reveals the designer, who adds: “We tried it the first time at the British High Commissioner’s residence [in Lilongwe] and it came out the best.”
“And bringing in music, the combination of the three is just so amazing. Armstrong is one of the very best singers and ‘Ndamusowa’ is the hit of the moment everyone knows that. Where else would people want to be on Saturday night?” says Lilly.
Lilly, Malawi’s first designer invited to participate at this year’s Africa Fashion Week London from 3-4 August, observes that Malawian artists need to work together and study their work together to expand the blossoming art industry in the country.
Malewezi conquers with Lilly as he says “Our industry is very young and we need to build each other. Creative people feed off other creative people, more especially when the dialogue is from different artistic disciplines.”
Describing Lilly as one local fashion designer whose creativity is very challenging and inspiring, the poet promises one long piece called ‘Wikipedia’ on Saturday night, but refuses to tell what the ode is all about.
“Come to the show to find out what it is about. I am inspired by so many artiforms and I find this experience to be very enriching,” said Malewezi, also a publisher and music producer.
Lilly will on Saturday be showing 30 outfits which she will be showcasing in London, 27 female and 3 male. Her designs are a mixture of ethnic style with western inspiration. She has been an inspiration for many women in Malawi with her clothing designs which remain current on the market trends.
