‘Siku njema huonekana, asubuhi,’ Wahenga said. And I dare believe that the same goes to a month that so begins with events, peppered with pomp, fun and excitement. Thus was the first weekend of December.
A flurry of activities, from high-level stakeholder meetings to pageantry, meet and mingle, and melodies. So much fun was it that it’d be nothing short of selfish if I didn’t offer a sneak into the excitement we had, maybe, just maybe, that’d awaken your desire to join in the merry as the season heats up.
Now, where to begin? Oh, how about the pageant stakeholders meet, held at the Swiss Lenana Mount Hotel and hosted by Beverly Jalang’o, Miss Earth Kenya National Director?
Well, the theme was to be there and be heard, in the event graced by designers, pageantry directors, models, and public relations experts, to identify the challenges affecting the industry and develop strategic plans and ways to govern an industry whose economic potential has largely gone untapped.
“I know as a designer it is controversial to say this, but we are mostly to blame for the slow growth of pageantry. Of course, the fashion space is vibrant, but how do we pull regional and global weight?” asked designer, Austine Bolo.
He added that designers do one-off showcases of their design and, in most instances, fail to follow it up in subsequent runways and pageantries to become a household name and maybe develop a long-lasting collaboration or working relationship with other industry players.
“I’ve seen so many who do this and later stop or move on to do other things. Discipline, personality, and confidence are key,” he said.
Emphasizing Bolo’s sentiment on discipline and confidence, director Beverly said talent managers need to do better to ensure talent doesn’t slip through the cracks.
“Additionally, crown holders need to understand their advocacy and seek aligned support,” she added.
Decrying the lack of government support, Nadhur Apapu, founder of Flip the Script Academy, also highlighted that one of the major contributors is the lack of understanding by models of the meaning of a crown as the visual representation of the pageant.
However, some models in attendance, having graced international stages, intimated that in most instances, pageant directors do not provide the necessary support needed by models to compete on the international stage.
“There is a disconnect between pageant directors and models,” said Warren Petrews, Mr. Heritage International.
Highlighting the logistical nightmares, he experienced when he was meant to travel to represent the country, he said, “It was a shame when I had to rely on a sponsorship package from well-wishers who believed in me to travel to the Philippines for the grand finale. Without government support despite representing the country, it was an uphill battle to bring the crown home.”
Despite getting to the venue, three days into the bootcamp, Warren managed to win the global crown, and is currently focused on growing the modeling space in Kenya and creating opportunities for fellow models to easily showcase their talents and gain international recognition.
Lynn The Brand, Digital Strategist and Brand Manager, pointed out that there is a huge how models package themselves.
“There is a lot of work that needs to be done, a lot of learning, for models to understand branding and self-packaging. Knowing how to walk is just the beginning,” she said, adding that models need to be receptive to new ideas and exploit the advantages that good PR has to offer.
As the evening wore on, I was positive that the pageantry and fashion industry in Kenya is up for a renaissance. And I looked forward to how the Mr. and Miss Fashion Kenya Pageantry would turn out later that evening.
Walking into the venue at Muthu Silver Springs, I wondered whether my rugged Canadian suit was a bold or an understatement in an evening of tuxedos and cocktail dresses.
