Bantu Gold to showcase at Africa Fashion Week London
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Sunday September 17, 2023 06:00
The brand has been gaining massive traction since winning the Fashion Without Borders fashion show in 2022. The event takes place in October at Pall Mall in London, right in the centre.
In an interview with Arts & Culture, Bantu Gold founder Lukundo Simpemba said annually, the best designers from all over Africa are selected and invited to showcase their designs during the African Fashion Week London. He pointed out that this year, Bantu Gold was invited alongside Nguo, who also won the Fashion Wœithout Borders Mr Price Award in 2022/23.
“Last year, celebrities such as Jaden Smith and Anthony Anderson (from Black-ish) attended. I cannot wait to see who we will meet this year. We had to go through a rigorous application process, which involved screening and auditioning. I first heard about it through a fellow designer I met at Batho Fashion Week last month. She also put in a word that helped my application,” he explained. Simpemba also said he was in awe of the work God was doing in his life. He pointed out that ever since Fashion Without Borders gave them the opportunity to work with Mr Price, his life has been getting better every day. He added that he always dreamed of going to London let alone showcasing his work.
He said he worked very hard to create a collection that would not only benefit Bantu Gold but also bring more eyes to Botswana fashion as a whole. He pointed out that since winning the Fashion Without Borders in October last year, they managed to sell their whole collection by December. He added that in February his year, they then flew out to Durban to partake in a month-long incubation programme which taught them so much. In April, he did his first showcase outside of Botswana, in Sandton through Fashion Without Borders.
From there they did Batho Fashion Week in Kasane powered by the Ministry of Tourism. “It has been a lovely journey. The recognition gained from the programme has also enabled us to meet celebrities such as Davido and Focalistic. There has been so much; I do not think there is enough ink for me to list all the ways FWB changed my life.
The brand has grown in leaps and bounds. We rarely have to introduce ourselves these days; people are starting to know it. We have since been able to add more people to our team and add new ranges in our product line such as sportswear and ladies' wear,” he proudly said. Moreover, Simpemba pointed out that before FWB, things were good but FWB took it to another level. He explained that FWB was their first-ever showcase as a brand adding that they learnt so much and will keep on learning from them.
He further said he did not have access to first-class factories and materials but with the availability of the Internet, he works his way around those challenges. He also commended the private sector and government for stepping up for designers. Recently his colleague, Mboko showcased her brand Glotto in New York Fashion Week and was aided by Standard Chartered Bank.
He added that stories like that show him that, yes, challenges would always exist but they were blessed to live in an ecosystem where they are getting addressed consistently. “My advice is to start, no matter what. No excuses, just start. The first product we ever made as Bantu Gold was the masks during COVID-19, from there we added African Print Bonnets because we realised that during the lockdown, people were into hair and self-care, now it has spiralled into a fully-fledged fashion house. If I had waited to start, I believe I would still be waiting. I believe that the creative industry is experiencing a boom and the world is finally recognising our talent. I am so blessed to be a part of the new age of Batswana youth that are stepping up to compete on a global level,” he ended.