COME TO FIND OUT, EVERYONE ATE!!

The Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival has always been about more than music and food.

Over the years, it has quietly become one of Eswatini's biggest fashion weekends, with festivalgoers arriving just as eager to see what everyone is wearing as they are to watch the performances.

This year's theme, Kwasukasukela (Once Upon a Time), gave people plenty to interpret, and the result was two days of fashion that reflected different ideas of heritage, culture and contemporary African style.

There was no single way to dress for Luju. Instead, people arrived wearing what the theme meant to them, whether that was through traditional fabrics, modern tailoring or small details that nodded to the festival's inspiration.

Brown quickly became the colour of the weekend. From the moment people entered the festival grounds, different shades of chocolate, camel, tan and rust appeared throughout House on Fire.

Cowhide-inspired prints were equally common, showing up on jackets, skirts, corsets, handbags and matching two-piece outfits.

Rather than wearing cowhide in its traditional form, many festivalgoers chose contemporary interpretations that borrowed the colours and patterns while fitting naturally into modern fashion.

The influence of traditional Swazi clothing could also be seen throughout the festival. Lihiya-inspired garments appeared in different forms, with some people wearing them as dresses, skirts or tailored jackets.

Others incorporated beadwork into otherwise contemporary outfits, pairing handmade jewellery with structured dresses, oversized blazers or wide-leg trousers.

Leather accessories were another common feature, particularly belts, boots and handbags that complemented the earthy colour palette seen across the weekend.

Not everyone interpreted Kwasukasukela in the same way, and that was what made walking around the festival interesting.

Some people leaned into traditional aesthetics, while others approached the theme through contemporary African fashion.

Tailored suits, sleek dresses, linen sets and oversized shirts appeared alongside crochet garments, African prints and handcrafted accessories.

Denim was equally visible, with many festivalgoers pairing jeans with crisp white shirts, brown jackets or statement jewellery that tied their outfits back to the overall theme.

The festival grounds became a place where different styles existed comfortably alongside one another.

Designer garments mixed naturally with thrifted pieces, while locally made accessories were worn with international brands.

Some outfits had clearly been planned weeks in advance, while others looked effortless, but each reflected a personal interpretation of the theme rather than an attempt to follow a particular trend.

Photographers moved constantly through the grounds, stopping people whose outfits caught their attention.

Friends paused between food stalls and walkways to take photographs, while others waited patiently outside the Fashion Runway for their turn in front of the cameras.

Throughout the weekend, it was common to see people adjusting jackets, fixing jewellery or helping one another with photographs before continuing to the next stage or activity.

The Fashion Runway itself added another layer to the festival, bringing together designers from Eswatini, South Africa and Mozambique.

Their collections explored African identity through different approaches to design, with some focusing on indigenous fabrics while others presented contemporary silhouettes rooted in African craftsmanship.

Although the runway remained one of the festival's highlights, the fashion did not end there. Once the shows concluded, conversations about fabrics, designers and styling choices continued across the rest of the festival grounds.

Fashion blended naturally into every part of the Luju experience. Guests walked between the Heritage Food Garden, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and market stalls dressed in outfits that reflected both the festival theme and their own personalities.

It never felt as though there was a single expectation of how people should dress. Instead, there was room for different interpretations, whether someone chose a tailored brown suit, a crochet dress, a pair of jeans with a leather jacket or a flowing African-print ensemble.

The market stalls added even more colour to the weekend. Local designers, jewellery makers and artisans displayed handmade products that attracted steady crowds throughout both days.

Many festivalgoers stopped to browse leather goods, woven bags, beaded jewellery and locally crafted accessories before continuing to the music stages or food experiences.

It was not unusual to see people leaving the stalls wearing something they had just bought, adding another layer to their festival outfit before the day continued.

The relaxed atmosphere of Luju also influenced the way people dressed. Comfortable footwear appeared just as often as heels, while wide-brim hats, sunglasses and lightweight fabrics reflected the long hours people spent moving around the festival.

Even those who kept their outfits simple still looked considered, often using one or two accessories or a carefully chosen jacket to bring everything together.

The variety in fashion reflected the variety of people attending the festival. Young creatives, families, professionals, tourists and returning Luju regulars all approached the theme differently, but there was a shared appreciation for dressing for the occasion.

That diversity gave the festival grounds a sense of movement, with every pathway offering something different to look at.

By the end of the weekend, there was no single outfit that defined Luju 2026. Instead, what stood out was the number of different ways people had interpreted Kwasukasukela.

Some looked to the past for inspiration, while others presented a more contemporary interpretation of African fashion.

Together, those different approaches reflected the creativity of the people who attended the festival and showed that fashion had become an important part of the Luju experience alongside the music, food and cultural programme.

If there was one conclusion to draw from the weekend, it was that the theme gave people permission to be creative.

Some embraced traditional influences, others leaned towards contemporary style, and many found a balance between the two.

Looking around House on Fire over the course of two days, there was no single way to understand Kwasukasukela. Everyone brought their own interpretation, and that was what made the fashion memorable.