Robert Kalumba
13 July 2009
For fashionistas, this was it. For lovers of a good night out, this was one of the parties that simply couldn't be missed. It was Stella Atal's fashion showcase at the monthly fashion night that was held at Silk Lounge.
She has the reputation as one of those people on the Ugandan fashion scene, who actually knows what they are doing. So when invites came through indicating the designer was to showcase her collection, a crowd was expected. And true to form, by 7.30pm, Silk Lounge was jam-packed.
So did the coveted designer deliver? The setting was different; neon pillars were present, which added a "wow" factor to the runway. The host was Karistas, a break from the usual emcee, but when it came to the real show, it didn't live up to its billing.
Stella went for "showbiz" models the likes of Maria Ndagire and Patricko Mujuuka an effort to show off her "star" power, but sadly that removed the attention of the audience from her designs, focusing it on their celebrities like Bina Baby, Cleo, Barbara Yata and Carol Mugasha. That not withstanding, the clothes well designed with Atal's signature of mixing fashion and art. Most clothes showcased fell in the category of African Wear, which in itself is not bad, but limited the scope of this talented designer. By limiting herself to cotton, Stella sold herself short. It was a good showcase for a designer, but Stella Atal is not any designer, she is exceptional. But sadly last Thursday, she held up a bit, focusing on only ready to wear designs, we could have done with a bit of haute couture, which she can easily pull off unlike many other Ugandan tailors who call themselves designers.
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