Natasha Patterson, a 28-year-old fashion designer from Umhlanga, left South Africa for London on Tuesday to show her summer collection at the Oxford Fashion Studio on Saturday.
Her London debut coincides with London Fashion Week.
Patterson will feature among designers from Mexico, Australia, Brazil and Poland who will showcase their designs to buyers from around the globe.
"The company that invited me was looking online for new designers and saw my range. They got in touch with me to ask me to join the show of international young designers," she said.
Patterson will be showing six different outfits on the runway as part of her collection which features classic, colonial cotton shift dresses, khaki jumpsuits and evening gowns.
Her design style fuses her love of the tropics with contemporary trends.
"My dad is from Seychelles where we spend most of our December holidays. I wanted to showcase a range that reflects who I am as a person. My passion for tropical island style is displayed in the fabrics I use and in the casual shapes of the silhouettes."
Patterson hopes that showing in London will give her an international platform.
"After graduating I received an offer to design for a clothing company but my dad, who is an entrepreneur, said I should work for myself instead, and so I started Tasha's Closet."
Patterson wholesales her range to boutiques in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
• This article was originally published in The Times.
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