RUAN WALKED AWAY AS THE CHAMPION
Ruan Scheepers, made history as he won R1 milliuon and R500 000 from Suzuki-za .
He won Tropika Island of all Stars Champions along with his team partner Karlien Vanjaarsveld.
Ruan is the title holder of Mister Global Suth Africa 2021.
JEWELLERY DESIGNER TURNS 15
CAFA Award-winning jewellery designer, Dean Davidson on celebrating 15 years and on opening his first Canadian brick-and-mortar store in Toronto.
Serving as a boutique and design studio, the location has been carefully designed to allow customers to truly immerse themselves into the brand and experience the full collection all in one place.
Founded in 2007, Dean Davidson is known for luxurious, meticulously crafted and purposefully designed pieces. The brand specializes in brushed gold jewellery, silver and custom semi-precious gemstones and
the collection’s signature brushed finish is a technique learned by the designer during his time spent in Paris giving each design a timeless, luxurious, and unique quality.
Dean Davidson has been seen on celebrities like Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and the Duchess of Sussex, Meaghan Markle.
Visit this beautiful store, located at 145 Berkeley Street in Toronto.
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday: 10am-6pm, Sunday: 11pm-5pm
THE REBIRTH OF SOWETO FASHION WEEK
Under the theme;Trans-seasonal presentation showcase.
Established in the year 2011,Soweto Fashion Week brand is a platform set aside for marketing and advertising with the roots in South Africa.
Their label spains the African continent with a global foot print recognized in major fashion calendars and rankings.
With more than 120 designers and 1000 runway models having catwalked at the event’s ramp.
Expected to expose and exhibit their products during the show which will be hosted at its traditional arena ‘Soweto Theater’ are:Dejavu,N.O.T.E,Fresh Wear etc.
The platform has previouslyseen well established designers showcasing their work these include:Urban Zulu,Zama Swazi,Tapfumanei Coco, Ishmael Tsakatsa among others.
The fashion show has been on mute at least for 24 months.
The show will officia make its showcase in May 2023.
“Those attending Soweto fashin week can expect high fashion from both established to relatively unkown brands such as Makgqale 3rdrunner up,”said Stephen Manzini (founder of the fashion show).
“Soweto Fashion Week does not only place the South African fashion, beauty and modelling industries on the stage but it places our world class facilities for
the world to see what more can be done in a Theatre space. It showcases our contribution to this immensely growing industry. As we sit at the heart of the most famous township, we are proud to be a part of this force promoting the work of young black designers from different townships, as well as those from urban areas and abroad,” says Vincent Motau-Soweto Theatre General Manager
Soweto Fashion Week has found new and exciting partnerships with organisations such as Coca-Cola which is supporting the event for the first time, Soweto Theatre, Havillah Beauty, City of Johannesburg and Soweto TV.
I AM PROUD OF MY PERFORMANCE
Award winning choreographer who is also a multi-talented,South African model,Kwanele Finch Thusi. Made it to the top 5 of Mister Africa International 2022.
He made history as he became the first South African delegate to make it to the top 5.
Kwanele praised,the organisers of Mister Africa International for creating a platform which has given him an opportunity to express and share his talent with other African countries.
He further said,he was glad that for the first time his country took part in the pageant and became part of the top five.
Despite not scoping any gong during the pageant’s preliminaries.He has at least made it to the top four,of the following categories:Beach Body and Mr Strength category.
He said during the show his inspiration derived from the late great Icon,Nelson Mandela.He also spoke about Ubuntu and being an African and he shared his vision with others for free education for every child.
He wished all the best to the winner as he said,the best man won.
Finch said language barrier was the major challenge,that he faced along with other English speaking models, although Angolian organisers made them to feel as if they are in their own home countries.
What is next for Kwanele,as he is prominently known as the traveller.Kwanele informed that in 2023,his passport will be stamped by the French,Italian and Swedish Immigration among other European countries.As he hopes to travel across Europe and to appear at a reality show in 2023.
Meet The First French Speaking Mister Africa International
MEET THE FIRST FRENCH SPEAKING MODEL WHO REIGNS AS MISTER AFRICA INTERNATIONAL
Born from a family of three boys,23 year old Mathieu Bibasso from Ivory Coast was coronated this past weekend as the new Mister Africa International 2022.
He is well known as an advocate for the fight against gender based violence and encourages positive masculinity.
Ivory Coast has been dominating,Mister Africa International pageant in the past pageants that have been hosted however none of the candidates have managed to rise to the top of the ladder.
In 2019 Yao Yao Jules from Ivory Coast won,Mr Internet Africa,Body of Africa and as well as occupying the thrid position of the pageant. The same year another delegate from Ivory Coast Siriki Combala from Ivory Coast won Mr Strength award. The outgoing Mister Africa International second runner up is also from Ivory Coast.
Mathieu is expected to be signed under the House of Twitch brand and also walk in the footsteps of the other Kings.
WHO WILL BE CROWNED KING OF AFRICA TONIGHT?
Ten Kings from at least 10 African countries and 54 countries are all curiously waiting to know who is going to make history as the 10th Mister Africa International.
The pageant for the 10th edition kicked off,with preliminaries which were hosted in Angola,these include the competition for Mister Strength and Best Beach Body etc.
The main event is set to be hosted in a few hours on who will succeed,the outgoing King. who also derives from the hosting nation Angola.
The winner will join other kings such as Emmanuel Umoh, Calisha Jiwa among others.
Romeo Charles who is representing his country,Mozambique which is taking part for the first time in the pageant since it was established has shown that his country has
While Guinea has already won a medal for being the Most Strongest model in the pageant.
On the other hand South African candidate,Kwanele Thusi has appeared as part of te top four at least in two categories:Mister Strength and Best Beach Body.
Angola is leading in people’choice are also contesting also with Cape Verde for the Beach Body category joined by South Africa and Nigeria. Aguinal Dongulana from Angola is also facing,Sao Tome, Delegate 19 (Independent candidate),Guinea and Ivory Coast for the Model of Africa
Other categories,medals are nominees are to be revealed tonight.
Below are the Hopeful Mister Africa International candidates:
Mister Africa International
The top Ten :
Jorgelino Tando , Namíbia
Mozambique Romao Charles
Congo Paulino Sabastiano
Cape Verde Juliano Brown
Angola Aguinaldo Ngulana
Guinea Abdulaye Rema
Delegate 19 Torres Balsa
South Africa , Kwanele Finch Thusi
São Tomé and Principe Augusto
Cote d lvoire Mathieu Bibbaso
Guinea wins the strongest model award,during Mr Strongest model competition at Mister Africa International:
competitiveness: for me it is an asset to be competitive because it is useless to train permanently without knowing your strengths and weaknesses and this can only be possible by participating in a competition as gigantic as this one.
– the richness of my CV and my career: Participating in this competition is a great adventure for me because it allows me to be at the highest peak, so it is extremely important.
It’s always said a prophet is not accepted in his home town,however his celebrated somewhere.However ‘time’ can be the main factor that determines your own success. In summary this is Kudakwashe’s story,a Zimbabwe model who is currently based in Malawi.He joins us in a conversation and talks about how he is living a life of his dreams .
Q:It’s been a while since we heard from you what have you been up to?A:“I’ve been running around like a headless chicken. So busy!”
Q:How many shows have you catwalked in so far,if you can list them?
A:I have catwalked five shows this year 2022:
Summer Fashion show
Shalex African fashion
Beautiful Africa
Runway Malawi
African modeling casting
Beautiful Africa award show
Q:Do you think your height and looks will always be an advantage when it comes to modeling and volleyball? A:Yes. In the sense that those are some of the qualities of being a model and a volleyball player. I believe that my height is unique and it definitely lies on as an advantage.
Q:You had an opportunity to catwalk at
How many designs did you wore and whose?
A:Abu Raj from (Tanzania)
Shalex (Malawi)
Hall of peters (Ghana)
Rockweargh (Ghana)
Afro Phoenix (Zimbabwe)
Pichichi (Tanzania)
The list is endless
Q:What is the most unique thing about Malawi’s modeling industry? A:Business and Entertainment .
Q:They say a prophet is not appreciated in his on home town. Is that true when it’s compared to your own career back home in Zim?A:The statement might be true but I believe that everything has its own time
Someone in Zimbabwe might have a successful modeling career which I couldn’t obtain while I was in Zimbabwe
All I can say is if success is yours then it will locate you from anywhere
Any parts of the country
Q:Where do you draw your confidence when you at the ramp?A:Honestly, I love my job because I get to travel often! The locations are breathtaking and you can change the environment of your work from city to city. I believe that my travelling projects have given me immense exposure that wouldn’t have been possible in another career. Over the years, I have gotten flexible to changing environments from time to time!
Q:What are your 2023 plans?A:Speaking honestly, I prefer to live in a present moment. Plans? God, I had many. You would not believe if I told you. But sometimes I wasn’t ready to pursue them, other times destiny stepped into my way. I learned the hard way that regardless of how hard we try, we never have things fully under our control. And it doesn’t matter whether we talk about personal life, or professional career. Future plans? They only bring me anxiety. Hence for the last few years I prefer living in the moment, focusing on the task at hand, and going with the flow.
WORLD OF FASHION & MODELLING