With cooler weather and the holidays come fashion shows in Dakar. Saturday evening, a designer friend showed dresses, pants, bathing suits and evening wear. Fanny Rek, a French woman who makes shell-covered bathing suits and made-to-order wedding dresses (in the final picture with a white and black dress), had fifteen models with seventy-something passages. I was one of them. I now feel like an old-hand at these fashion shows, knowing how to look at the list to find your passage, when to pause on the runway, how to get help putting on shoes, clothes and jewelry.
In October, I had introduced Fanny to another friend who makes jewelry out of precious gems. Wendy, who also collects and sells African antiquities, had volunteered to host the fashion show at her house -- until she got robbed, and her security specialists (we all have guards) advised her not to have strangers at her house. (Tabaski is December 20; it's the biggest Muslim holiday where families eat a lamb, so there are increased theft, begging, and even things like police stopping cars around now.) The event was moved to the Fana Hotel, and the lit swimming pool reflected the light beautifully.
We wore all kinds of flowing, shimmering, sexy clothes. And we wore Wendy's pearls and gems from all over Africa. In the Spanish dress, I'm wearing dark red coral.
Next week-end is yet another fashion show! The season has begun.
I am a friend of Fanny Rek and would like for her to contact me as I would like to be a male model. My name is Khumo. Please and thanks.
Posted by: Khumo | April 03, 2009 at 11:49 AM