Free State Fashion Week marks 10 Years of empowering local talent

Fashion, business, and women’s empowerment have taken centre stage in Bloemfontein, as Free State Fashion Week celebrates 10 years of creating opportunities for local talent.

The Women’s Day Business and Fashion Fest brought together designers, entrepreneurs, and women from different sectors, with a focus on showcasing talent and building networks.

The venue was buzzing with colour and creativity as guests arrived dressed to impress and embrace the “Think Pink” theme. But beyond the glamour, the event is also creating a platform for local fashion designers to showcase their work and build their businesses.

For designers like Mpho Pudumo of Afur Designs, platforms such as these provide an opportunity to introduce their collections to new audiences.

“It’s a good platform. It allows you to launch your skills, to launch your talent as a designer, and what happens also is that they celebrate women overall.”

For other designers, the event has become an important part of growing their brands.

Mpho Monyaki, founder of MMCC Designs, says she used the platform to showcase her wedding range. She says participating in the event has helped expose her brand to other businesses and potential clients with opportunities often continuing after the show.

“I was showcasing, trying to introduce my wedding range, but with the event, Free State fashion week, I’ve been with it from the beginning. It is a great platform for us businesswomen and young fashion designers.”

Free State Fashion Week CEO Candy Smith says creating opportunities for emerging designers has been at the heart of the organisation’s journey. Smith says her own love for fashion started at a young age, eventually leading her to establish the Free State Fashion Hub, where aspiring designers are trained.

As Free State Fashion Week celebrates a decade in existence, organisers say the focus now is on creating even more opportunities for local designers and empowering the next generation of women in business and fashion.

We’re at the Women’s Day Business & Fashion Fest 2026 as part of Free State Fashion Week, where fashion, business and empowerment come together for a day of inspiration, connection and style.

Here’s to women building businesses, breaking barriers and taking up space.

CUT,… pic.twitter.com/kOxZLWPICt

— METROFM SABC (@METROFMSA) August 8, 2026