Awards galore at Durban Fashion Fair finale
This glamorous event brought the sixth annual eThekwini Municipalities Durban Fashion Fair to an end.
AWARD-WINNING Durban designer, Terrence Bray, was chosen as the Durban Designer of the Year 2017 at the prestigious Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards evening held at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre recently.
This glamorous event brought the sixth annual eThekwini Municipalities Durban Fashion Fair to an end. Bray, who has played a big role in mentoring young and emerging designers through the years at the DFF, was born and raised in Durban and launched his own label in 1998. Over the years, he has built his career and brand to the point where he is now an internationally recognised designer.
The second big award of the evening – the Durban Fashion Legend 2017, which is based on nominations from within the local fashion industry – went to Lindiwe Khuzwayo. This veteran designer and couturier of 30 years and successful business woman has been a role model for many. Her creations have graced both local and international runways in Marseilles, France and Cannes.
After much deliberation regarding the high standard of fashion that took to the 2017 DFF catwalk, Zama Mathe, the lead designer of Zarth, was awarded the Collection of the Week for a collection that once again displayed timeless, African inspired elegance and femininity. Mxolisi Luke Mkhize, who heads up House of Saint Luke, took home the Best Menswear Collection Award 2017.
The Best Ladieswear Collection 2017 Award went to Quiteria & George. Quiteria Kekana and George Malelu, one of the most talked about design pairings of late, showcased their bold African prints and elegant designs, for the second time at the DFF this year.
The Best African Collection went to West African fashion brand Quame Owusu which is owned by Ghanian designer, Samuel Owusu. This was his first showing on the DFF ramp. This year’s Fashion Innovator Award, which goes to designers who push the boundaries and embrace technological innovation, went to Martin John Steenkamp while the Emerging Designer of the Year 2017 was self-taught designer, Muzi Innocent Mlambo of Mita-N Dzyns.
This year’s New Face of the Year (ladies) was Samantha Jali who is currently studying shipping and logistics, while the New Face of the Year (men) was Samkelo Shinga.
Athenkoisi Mfungula, Claudia Novuka and Leonie Pillay were recognised as the 2017 rising stars from the Mentorship Programme which is an initiative developed by the eThekwini Municipality to grow the fashion industry in the city.
