Fashion becomes a platform for psoriasis awareness in Mahikeng, South Africa

On June 27, the Mmabatho Civic Centre in Mahikeng, a town in the North West Province of South Africa, was transformed into a fashion runway and a platform to talk about psoriasis as well as gender-based violence. Themes like these are not often brought up on the catwalk. And in Mahikeng, this was the first event of its kind where psoriasis took the center stage. The South African Psoriasis Association wholeheartedly supported the event.

For the organizer Ashley Mash, a bodybuilder, model agency owner and fashion enthusiast, the connection between fashion and psoriasis was personal: he lives with the disease himself. Ashley has been staging fashion shows across Africa and internationally for several years. He has used these shows as a platform to raise awareness about gender-based violence and femicide, sadly a major issue in South Africa. But this time, he had an innovative grand idea: why not bring psoriasis onto the fashion stage as well?

The result was an impactful event held under the theme “National Fashion Against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and Psoriasis Awareness Campaign.” For the South African Psoriasis Association (SAPSA), it was an opportunity to take psoriasis awareness somewhere new: beyond clinics, conferences and traditional health campaigns, directly into a local community. Veronica Mitchell, Secretary and a leading patient advocate for SAPSA, shares how the idea to include psoriasis in a local fashion show came about:

"Ashley contacted us about his big idea to integrate psoriasis awareness into a fashion show. We were thrilled and I said: ‘Yay, that sounds amazing! We’re in it. We’re supporting you in whatever way we can!’”

Her colleague, Vanessa Maistry, adds:

“Mahikeng is a rural, low-income area, and there is not that much happening there, besides wildlife trails and a casino. And here is Ashley, coming to this town and wanting to share everything he has learned in the modelling world and really uplift the community. And he is now using that platform to promote psoriasis awareness. We’re very grateful to him for that.”

Bringing psoriasis onto the stage

After the opening traditional dance performance, a fashion procession started, with models holding placards with messages about gender-based violence and psoriasis. Speakers on stage addressed the role fashion can play in social change, youth empowerment, as well as challenging gender-based violence. Then the conversation turned to psoriasis.

Dr. Claudia Moloabi, a dermatologist invited by SAPSA , introduced the audience to the disease. She then spoke about its impact beyond the skin, including the mental health burden and stigma that can accompany it. Interestingly, her participation in the event came about through a fortunate coincidence. Ahead of the event, Veronica Mitchell met Dr. Moloabi at an international dermatology conference and through her friendly engagement, discovered that she came from the same town where Ashley was planning the fashion show. That conversation resulted in an invitation for Dr. Moloabi to join the fashion event, wearing a new designer dress and speaking directly to the local community about psoriasis.

After Dr. Moloabi’s presentation about psoriasis, Ashley took the floor and shared his own story of living with psoriasis. Standing before the audience. not just as an organizer but as someone living with psoriasis, he spoke about how he learned to live confidently with the condition. He described how he has turned his experience into a source of strength, and how fashion can become a way to challenge  how society looks at people whose appearance is different.

After his powerful speech, patient advocates Vanessa Maistry and Gloria Mokoana from SAPSA joined him and Dr. Moloabi on stage to talk more about how common psoriasis is and that there is support available.

For an audience of roughly 150 to 200 people, the discussion opened an important conversation many had never had before. Afterwards, many audience members approached the speakers with questions, appreciation and a desire to learn more about psoriasis.

When fashion challenges stigma

In essence, this panel on fashion, health and social justice explored inclusive beauty standards, mental well-being and the potential of fashion as a form of activism. The runway became more than a place to display fashionable clothes. It offered a space to reconsider existing social norms, to reflect on who is seen, who feels welcome and whose experiences are given space in public life.

A fashion event, built around visibility and self-expression, offered a very different message: psoriasis does not need to be hidden and, yes, it can belong in the fashion space too.

The event concluded with a unity walk carrying the message:

“Fashion speaks. Communities heal. Together we end GBVF and break stigma around psoriasis.”

The event demonstrated how advocacy can grow through partnerships that may not initially seem obvious. A fashion organizer, patient advocates, a dermatologist, local authorities, media and members of the community came together in the same room for a community celebration that made space for health, identity and inclusion, and psoriasis was given a spotlight on the runway.