It was a style-filled Saturday to remember in Dar es salaam

The final runway showdown for one of Tanzania’s top fashion ‘fests,’ the Tanzania Fashion Festival (TAFF), didn’t disappoint one little bit.

Having selected some of the very best models to walk the ‘runway’ on the day, the founder of the fest, Deogratius Kithama, couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.

“I just wanted to create a safe, jolly space for fashion enthusiasts and anybody else who wanted a fantastic day out in Dar es Salaam,” he said.

Kithama, 31, is a well-known fashion enthusiast with a passion for everything stylish. He has grown expeditiously from the age of 19 when he started out as a presenter to now being a self-proclaimed fashion guru. It is his entrepreneurial side which saw the birth of TAFF.

An exuberant and stylishly dressed crowd adorned in some of the most sophisticated designer wear attended the 3rd edition of the fest at the Terrace grounds in Slipway.

The crowd in attendance is estimated to be of about 500 people; Part of this crowd came for the exhibition which saw different kinds of merchandize displayed for purchase.

The show gave a platform to 17 designers to showcase their amazing creations. Amongst the 17, 12 were emerging designers and 5 (Jacqueline Wolper, J’adore, Wise Zanzibar, Lucky creations, Enjipai by Nasreen Karim and American-based Tanzanian designer Asia Idarous) were established designers.

Tanzanian international model based in America, Millen Magese was the guest of honour. With her were other influencers in Tanzania’s fashion scene, the likes of Mariam Ndamba a.k.a Missie Popular – a lifestyle and fashion blogger.

The Beat was in full swing at this affair. We had a chat with Lucky Sabbas – a model turned designer and owner/founder of the brand Lucky Creations. Lucky has showcased at TAFF since its debut in 2018. The young creative pointed out that this year’s show was the best one yet, particularly pointing out the event’s ambience.

Based in Zanzibar, she immensely enjoyed the summer theme. Her showcase at the fest included free size designs and ready to wear summer collection. Her collection received mixed reactions from the crowd, with most people being impressed with the details of her line and the inclusiveness of all sizes.

Sodox, 69, is an emerging designer whose one piece was purchased straight from the runway. He was grateful for the platform given to him by TAFF. The platform exposed him to prospective customers. His showcase was a crowd-pleaser specifically for the way his models walked the runway while dancing.

WOLE, a brand formed by four emerging designers, also exhibited the ‘Le Jeunes’ collection that translates to the youth. This group juggled between school and preparing for the show and it’s their unending passion for fashion that pushed them to succeed. They credit TAFF for boosting their determination and are already in discussion for their new collection.

Legendary Tanzanian designer Ruth Urio - famous for her amazing brand ‘J’adore’ - said her journey in fashion has been a challenging but an amazing one. She credited TAFF for being an inclusive platform for all designers, emerging and experienced. J’adore’s advise is: ‘Do what you love - and love what you do!’

“I was impressed with the large number of upcoming designers who have showcased. TAFF has proven to be the only platform that gives more opportunities to emerging designers,” is what the lifestyle and fashion blogger Missie Popular had to say about the fest.

She commended the variety and inclusiveness of all types of models on the runway. Her favorite designers were J’adore and the emerging designer Primus. Missie Popular also bought a piece from emerging designer Sodox69.

Venny Gweje - famous as Vaazi, a stylist and owner of the Vazi studio, - enjoyed the showcase, singling out its entertainment and also serving as a platform for emerging designers. He enjoyed Primus and Lucky creations the most. He parting shot to Tanzanians is for them to participate in fashion shows and do away with negative notions that they may hold regarding fashion shows.

The co-blogger and editor of the Swahili fashion blog ‘Afroswagga,’ Wilbard Alex, enjoyed the great pieces showcased by Wolper Stylish and Wole. He praised TAFF for the spotlight it accords to young designers, which helps them create a name for themselves.

The models who walked the runway included 17-yea old Angela. This was her first runway and although she is not looking to a career in modeling, she says TAFF has motivated her to want to do modeling as a side job.

Another model named Peace - who wowed the crowd with her professional walk - wants to pursue international modeling.

Prisca Lyimo, another model who walked the runway at TAFF, is also vying for the ‘Miss Tanzania’ crown this year. She says the show boosted her confidence.

On the male models’ side, they unanimously commended TAFF for being fun and entertaining.

The festival’s founder, Kithama, extended his gratitude to the TAFF team and everyone who made the event possible. He says he has bigger plans for TAFF and the Tanzanian fashion industry. He promised to keep setting standards - and pushing himself to greater fashion heights.