A model from a local modelling agency in Seychelles scooped the “New Face of The Year” award during her participation in the three-day Swahili Fashion Week in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Trisha Dubignon was participating for the first time in the annual event, which took place from December 1 to 3.

“It was such a surprise. I was saying that it's not possible when the girls backstage were telling me to go get my award. When the MC (Master of Ceremony) repeated my name, I was overjoyed,” said Dubignon.

Representing Coral Models Seychelles, Dubignon told SNA that it was her agent, Joelle Fabre, also the director of the modelling agency, who booked her and another Seychellois model, Shana Payet, for the fashion show.

“We are so thankful to have her by our side. She has pushed us so much to be the best and I couldn't have achieved this it without her,” Dubignon told SNA.

Fabre said that she is proud of Dubignon’s achievement.

Trisha Dubignon was participating for the first time in the annual event (Joelle Fabre, Coral Model Seychelles) Photo License: CC-BY

“Her achievement is proof that, with my 25 years of experience in the field of fashion, I chose the right models to represent Seychelles and Coral Models Seychelles in the Swahili Fashion Week,” said Fabre.

She added that for five years she has been trying to get her models to take part in the Swahili Fashion Week, but due to the high costs of flights and accommodation for the girls, the organisers of the event didn’t accept their participation.

“For the past two years, I have been trying to get some sponsors. We managed to get Cable and Wireless, the Seychelles Tourism Board and Ethiopian Airlines onboard to sponsor the trip,” she said.

Fabre felt that both models were ready for the event as they had acquired enough international exposure. Coral Models Seychelles is already working on the possibility of having its models attend other fashion week events and welcomes everyone who will be able to help them. 

Dubignon shared that the exposure was an “amazing experience” where she got the chance to parade in 23 designer clothes during the three nights of the Fashion Week. (Joelle Fabre, Coral Model Seychelles) Photo License: CC-BY

Swahili Fashion Week is an annual event where fashion and accessory designers from Swahili-speaking countries and beyond get to showcase their products. The aim of the event is to promote Eastern Africa Fashion brands and as a result, improve the quality and output of fashion designs in these countries.

Dubignon shared that the exposure was an “amazing experience” where she got the chance to parade in 23 designer clothes during the three nights of the Fashion Week.

“I also got to meet other models from around Africa, 85 percent of which came from Tanzania. It was really an amazing journey for them as well, as they have never met people from Seychelles,” she added.

This year’s fashion week was the tenth edition and saw the participation of 32 Tanzanian designers and 13 international ones.

During the weekend, the two Seychellois models also got to interact with the locals of Tanzania and experience their daily lives.