South  Africa:  Moloi-Motsepe   wins  Franca Sozzani fashion award

​Cape Town - South African fashion icon Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe became the first recipient of the inaugural Fashion 4 Development Franca Sozzani Award at the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the Pierre Hotel in New York this week. The award commemorates the late Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia, who had a passionate commitment to fashion's role as an engine of transformation and economic development as well as creativity.

Moloi-Motsepe was nominated for the award by Sozzani's son, the Emmy Award-nominated film director Francesco Carrozzini, and by Norway's HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit.

The South African businesswoman and philanthropist who was named one of the country's most influential women in 2012, was recognised for her efforts in promoting African fashion designers through her company, African Fashion International, as well as for supporting the empowerment of disadvantaged women. "I am deeply honoured to receive the inaugural Franca Sozzani Award. I am moved by this recognition of our efforts in Africa to showcase all our continent has to offer - its unique style, authenticity and its abundant future," Moloi-Motsepe said on Wednesday. he also thanked all her colleagues, clients, designers and fashion creatives across Africa.
"I know that I share this award with all of them because none of us could do this alone. In my culture, we say 'If you want to go fast you walk alone, but if you want to go far, you walk with others.' "In the African fashion business, we know that means we must join forces to take our continent's fashion industry forward so that it becomes economically and creatively viable and sustainable. We are all honoured today that this award marks another step in African fashion's journey to the full global recognition it richly deserves." The award was presented to Moloi-Motsepe by Fashion 4 Development president and founder Evie Evangelou and fashion designer Livia Firth. Guests included global first ladies, diplomats, fashion VIPs, and other key international influencers. Fashion 4 Development is a private sector global platform that uses fashion and the textile industry to advance economic and social development, preserve culture and empower women in support of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.