Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule presided over the launch of the inaugural Spring Summer Fashion (SSF)2023 exhibition dubbed Fashion Meets Business last Friday at Bingu International Convention Centre (Bicc) in Lilongwe. The event was organised by founder and chief executive officer of Lilly Alfonso Fashion, Lilly Alfonso. Nation Publications Limited arts correspondent HOWARD MLOZI talks with Minister Vera Kamtukule to get her views on the local fashion industry. Excerpts:

Professor Address Malata showcases her dress
made by Lily Alfonso

Q

: What is your overall impression of Spring Summer Fashion?

A

: I am very proud to be here tonight. I think I am immaculately dressed by one of our own. You know, the beautiful dress that I am wearing. That is a sense of pride for me. I put it on my status and said tonight I have been dressed by Lilly Alfonso. A lot of people, especially the ones that are not from Malawi, were asking me who is Lilly Alfonso? And I was very proud to explain about this woman and I said go to our website and see what she is doing. That is the level of consciousness that we need to achieve as a people when we are celebrating something good that we have done. I have been saying this and I am going to repeat it here. As a country, as a people, we deserve good things.

Q

: Do you think local products like fashion wear have the potential to contribute to the country’s economic growth?

A

: Malawian products such as fashion wear have great potential which can significantly contribute to the country’s economy. Thus, the call for everyone to embrace it. For example, when we are talking about Malawi 2063, it is not about one person or one sector that is going to make it possible for all of us. It is everyone, including the players in the fashion industry, putting their hands together for us to move forward as people.

Q

: What opportunities exist for fashion and other local products?

A

: There is a free trade market for the African region in which Malawian businesses, including fashion designers, should participate and claim their stake. The Principal Secretary of Tourism was saying that fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry. The question we should be asking ourselves is what are we really bringing to that table? But the only way we can take our products there is when it starts from home. If you are incapable of consuming your own things you have no moral standing of taking that thing outside. So, let’s consume and embrace our products.

Q

: We saw the event being patronised by several high-profile people, especially government officials. What do you make of this?

A

: We are one Malawi and need to support each other. There is no one sitting at their table outside the walls of this country thinking how to elevate us. It is us. If we don’t do it, no one else is going to do that for us. However, there are demeaning questions that some people ask when something good happens, ‘Ndichaku Malawi? [Is this from Malawi?]. ‘Wapanga ndi M’Malawi? (Is is made by Malawian?)’ as if we are unable or incapable of doing something good or that we don’t deserve good things at all. But we deserve everything that is good in this world. And we have people like Lilly Alfonso, Nzika Wear, Xandria and Christian Entwan, we need to celebrate them. It has to start from us. If we don’t consume ourselves, we have no business taking these things out. And we should forget about us ever being a middle income economy by 2030.

Q

: Do you have anything to add?

A

: I posted something on social media. We have branded taxis in London about destination Malawi. So, taxis in London are going to carry our brand materials for the next six months. And somebody asked me why I was even proud to post these things before fixing the tourism industry. I said that I am a believer and the Bible tells me those who wait for the right season will never plant. So, we are not going to sit here and say we are going to wait for the next 15 to 20 years to fix our roads, airports or infrastructure before we start marketing our Malawi. No.  We have to start from somewhere. We start here. We start now. We start by supporting our local designs.

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