What Went Down at the RWCAC Rand West City Fashion Festival

Updated on 1 July 2025 • Reading Time: 3 minutes

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What Went Down at the RWCAC Rand West City Fashion FestivalWhat Went Down at the RWCAC Rand West City Fashion Festival

The Rand West City Fashion Festival, hosted by the Rand West City Arts Council (RWCAC), brought together fashion, township entrepreneurship, and powerful conversations at the Greenhills Stadium in Randfontein.

This event wasn’t just a showcase for designers. It was a fashion seminar that gathered creatives, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs who are turning township talent into long-term success stories. Guided by the theme “Building From the Ground Up”, the event made one thing clear: township creatives are ready to scale, but there’s a need for more support.

Cultural Arts as an Economic Force in the West Rand

Chairperson of RWCAC, Silas Theophilus Busang Nyembe, set the stage with a message that struck at the heart of the event’s purpose, which is to revitalise the township’s creative economy through meaningful platforms like the Rand West City Fashion Festival.

“We’re hoping to help designers enter the mainstream through retailer and stakeholder engagement,” said Chairperson Nyembe.

He outlined the key elements in the council’s broader mission. Which are:

  • Provide support programmes that target skills development
  • Create employment through creativity
  • Push advocacy so artists aren’t exploited
  • Encourage facility development to help creatives thrive without needing special connections
  • Ensure that artists can make a living, not just create for applause

Nyembe’s remarks reminded attendees that creative potential alone isn’t enough. Access, infrastructure, and support are key. For the council, events like this aren’t one-offs; they’re part of a long-term plan to institutionalise creativity as a viable economic pathway for youth, artists, and township entrepreneurs.

Creativity as an Invaluable Currency

MMC Desmond Nthoro gave a powerful keynote address on the importance of breathing life into townships and left entrepreneurs with a powerful message: “Your creativity is a currency that can’t be outsourced or automated.” The MMC’s remarks set the tone for the day, positioning township entrepreneurship as a movement.

For Nthoro and the RWCAC team, the creative economy has the power to reshape local communities. They believe that with the right resources and platforms, fashion can serve as both artistic expression and a powerful job creator.

Selling Confidence and the Power of Storytelling

Entrepreneur Tamia Nontsikelelo Mokoena, founder of Tol’thema, was one of the event’s key voices. “I decided to sell confidence and elegance,” she said, reminding attendees that successful brands don’t just sell products but also feelings. Her approach to fashion is rooted in intention.

Tamia spoke about building her brand with a very specific customer in mind. Knowing who you’re selling to shapes everything from the design aesthetic to marketing tone. She further emphasised that if you sell to everyone, you sell to no one.

She also shared the realities of visibility. “I’ve been on TV, but it didn’t do much for my sales because they weren’t targeting my audience.” The takeaway was clear: reach matters more than fame. It’s not about being seen – it’s about reaching the right people.

One of the most practical lessons Tamia gave was about content creation and storytelling. “People on TikTok or social media don’t just want to see your product,” she said. “They want to see how it’s made and know about the story behind the product.”

She encouraged entrepreneurs to share more behind-the-scenes footage, tutorials, packaging videos, and sourcing clips because that causes people to become emotionally invested in the process.

Excuses Should Come From Clients, Not the Business

Inga Sebata, founder of Stitched by Inga, spoke about the importance of prioritising customer service in your business. Providing quality service and treating your customers right will encourage loyalty and supporters who understand the value you bring and your pricing.

The fashion seminar also hosted a panel discussion titled “Building from the ground up”. The panel had fashion industry leaders, including Mac Mashilo (Melerine Rose International), Lethabo Bereng (Styled by Mannequin), Collen Monnakgotla (Freshwear), and Kgomotso Seboko (KS Modelling Academy).

The conversation amongst the panellists covered different aspects, including youth entrepreneurship, industry highs and lows, and design and tech, as well as the importance of styling and storytelling.

Additionally, Marc Johnson from It’s a Breeze was one of the last speakers to address the attendees and covered the crucial aspect of financial education for creative entrepreneurs. Many creative entrepreneurs make the mistake of being too focused on the passion and not on learning about how to handle their business’s finances.

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