The Nokia Cape Town Fashion Week

The Nokia Cape Town Fashion Week promises to not only highlight the glitz and glamour of the African fashion world, but also to focus on promoting the ailing clothing and textile industry.

Celebrity Gerry Rantseli, spokesperson for the event that will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from August 10 to 13, said on Wednesday: "The time has come for Africa to look within and to celebrate in its rebirth. That is why everyone in the fashion world should be looking at ways of breathing life back into the diminishing local clothing and textile industry."

Currently the industry is facing various challenges, such a job losses and closures of factories due to the recent increase of cheap Chinese imports. Thousands of jobs have already been lost.

Rantseli, who was born in District Six and brought up in Mitchell's Plain, said she identified with people working in the industry because she had many family members whose livelihoods depended on the clothing and textile industry.

Fashion Week organisers hoped that by showcasing the strengths, diversity, affordabilty and high quality of local products, they would be able to encourage South Africans to buy locally manufactured clothing, textiles and footwear and in turn, save many jobs.

"We must take hold of the clothing and textile industry and turn it t