Beauty, elegance and style combined with tradition and art were just a glimpse of what was on show at the What Women Really Want expo, held at the Royal Showgrounds at the weekend.
A total of 80 diverse exhibitors showcased what they can offer women: from household furniture and appliances, to children’s games to beauty pampering products and services.
Organiser Emma Lucy-Cox, of Bubblecious Creative Marketing, said the turnout — more than 3 000 — was satisfactory.
“We decided to stage this exhibition as a pilot project here in Pietermaritzburg to see how women would respond, and we will be looking at the possibility of taking it across the country. The exhibitors were thrilled with the turnout, and some asked us to do it every year,” said Lucy-Cox.
She noted that the event coincided with three big events in Durban, which might have affected the numbers. “We did extremely well competing with the Super 14 rugby match between the Sharks and the Stormers, the A1 Grand Prix and the Metro FM Heatwave concert happening in Durban on the weekend.”
Lucy-Cox said that while the exhibition was for women, it was not restricted to women.
“While we want to empower women, the exhibitors were not women only, but we were focusing on products and services where the target market is women.”
Exhibitors included small and medium women-owned businesses, showcasing mostly traditional clothing and artifacts. The Premier’s office contributed R75 000 towards sponsorship for the event.
Visitors could get a permanent tattoo, buy a new car, get a foot treatment, check out wedding cakes and learn some sensual dance moves, all under one roof. A cocktail bar and a restaurant were opened for the weekend, providing refreshments aimed at women.
Lucy-Cox was grateful to the participants, who made the exhibition a success.
Demonstrations and entertainment included a Peruvian musician, Jesus Alonso, who played his own hand-made bamboo wind instruments, traditional to the South American Indians. He also played other string instruments, the charango and ronroco.
