The hunt is on for models that will showcase collections at the Kigali Fashion Week 2019, with a big number of prospective models turning up for the casting session.

On June 13, over 400 models gathered at Sports View Hotel in Kicukiro, with hopes of walking the runway stage for the 10th edition of Kigali Fashion Week, scheduled for July 4-6, at Kigali Serena Hotel.

The casting was mainly dominated by young aspiring and professional female and male models from different parts of Kigali. The exercise on Thursday was a success, as models showed up in throngs, with hopes to be selected among top 25 models, who will take part in this year’s event.

Some of the judges during the exercise at Sports View Hotel in Kicukiro.  

The annual fashion show is organised to promote made-in-Rwanda garments, and to support local fashion designers to showcase their collection to the international market.

Fiona Cecile Umulisa, the Founder and Operations Manager of Ibyiwacu, the management company, which is in charge of scouting the models for the event, told The New Times, that this year’s edition is going to be bigger and better to mark the event’s 10th anniversary in style.

"These 10 years have been years of a successful journey for Kigali Fashion Week. Of course, we expressed several challenges along the way, but we have a lot to celebrate; from designers, whose creations earned international exposure, to models, who saw their talent on the runway was recognised by both local and foreign fashion enthusiasts,” said Umulisa.

"It has been an outstanding platform of fashion exposure for both designers and models and this could not have been achieved without sponsors and partners,” she added.

Ibyiwacu has taken over managing Kigali Fashion Week on the local fashion scene, as organisers look to give more focus to Kigali International Fashion Week for a better coordination in future fashion events Europe and North America and Asia, mainly in Tokyo, Japan whereby local designers and models are granted chance to expose their creations and skills to a bigger global audience.

With the casting call for international models slated for July 1, successful models from the selection will showcase designs from 10 local and international fashion designers.

Kigali Fashion Week is has earned it’s recognition on the one the local fashion scene,  as the longest runway event in Rwanda, growing from the local to international level, and is regarded as a great platform for local fashion designers and models to showcase their creativity and talents in the industry.

However, the annual fashion event has run short of sponsorships, with organisers accusing some companies of asking them bribe to approve their sponsorship deals.

The number of models continues to grow but only a few are selected to headline the catwalks at different runway fashion events, with new faces finding it hard to gain exposure.

"We are looking to emphasise on using this platform to give more promising fashion models and designers a chance to show their talents and creativity in the future to improve our contribution to the fashion industry,” Umulisa noted.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com