Local clothing lines receive P100k at Creation Botswana awards
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday July 15, 2025 11:42
Sabine Matsheka, whose brand is called Maru, won P100, 0000 while twin sisters, Alice and Theresa Jones, whose clothing line is dubbed Ali and Tess Studio, also walked away with P100,000. Renowned clothing line Glotto got P20,000 from Création Botswana. The good thing about the awards is that all contestants who took part in the pitching competition walked away P10,000 richer courtesy of Lucara Botswana. Botocy received P20,000 from Rich Mnisi.
Furthermore, the awards ceremony got sweeter for the contestants when Lucara Botswana managing director, Naseem Labri announced that they increased the prize money they sponsored from P50, 000 to P100, 000 adding that all the winners would walk away with P100, 000 each. The other P50, 000 given to the winners was from ABSA meaning Lucara Botswana topped it with an additional P50, 000 to make it P100, 000 for the other winner.
Labri has always passionately pointed out the importance of nurturing and supporting the local fashion industry. She recently pointed out the importance of taking fashion design to greater heights, saying just like diamonds, fashion design was an unearthed talent that needed to be polished and taken seriously. She added that with support, the local fashion industry could generate revenue and play a major role in boosting the country's economy.
'It is possible for us to host our own biggest fashion show that can attract international fashion designers like the Paris Fashion Week, where we will be taking our eight designers in September and the Biennale Euro-Africa. That will give them further exposure to the international market and networks. I would like to see our fashion designers taking the leteisi and making extraordinary pieces out of it. They must also venture into jewelry design,' she said.
The pop-up market attracted a very large audience. The Fleek Band treated revellers to beautiful melodies while some got an opportunity to buy a few items from the stalls.
Creation Botswana hosted a fashion and creative industries program, financed by the Embassy of France in Botswana, implemented by the Alliance Française Gaborone and the National Arts Council of Botswana (NACB), with the support of creative hub La Halle Tropisme (Montpellier, France) last year. Its objective was to support the structuring of the Botswana fashion industry, with a holistic approach that combined mentoring, training, mobility, financing and networking. The program supported 28 fashion designers, selected through a national call for applications and divided into two cohorts: the first included 20 emerging designers, while the second brought together more seasoned professionals. Notably, seven of the 28 beneficiaries come from outside Gaborone, including Maun, Francistown, and Palapye, reflecting the program’s commitment to national inclusion and representation. Each participant received a grant of BWP 15,000 or BWP 50,000, depending on their cohort, to support the development of their brand. According to the project manager, Nature Inger, although the local phase of the program is coming to an end in Gaborone, the support continues. Inger also pointed out that all beneficiaries would keep benefiting until the end of August from individualized monthly mentoring sessions with international experts, ranging from two to four hours per month, tailored to the needs of each cohort.
Inger said the journey continues for the second cohort that will start from September 30 to October 12 this year, where the eight designers will travel to Paris and Montpellier. She added that they will be participating at the Paris Fashion Week and the Biennale Euro-Africa, thus gaining further exposure to international markets and networks.