Mthembu is all aflutter after Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award win
The young designer won an all-expenses paid trip the SA Fashion Week 2021, R10 000 in cash, a R5 000 Gateway Theatre of Shopping gift voucher, a Samsung Galaxy S9 and a R2 500 Kryolan gift voucher
STUDENT fashion designer, Sonto Mthembu, won the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award, presented by Durban Fashion Fair, on Tuesday.
Before the judges announced the top three, models, wearing the garments inspired by the raceday theme, Butterflies, paraded the outfits that were created by the 10 finalists for a handful of invited guests.
ALSO READ: 3 Durban fashionistas claim top 10 spots in Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award
Mthembu’s striking white outfit, with unique shimmering arm drapings, was inspired by an unusual foray into lepidoperology.
“On 28 January, a very special butterfly was seen, both here and in Johannesburg,” she explained. “For me it was striking and it brought life, even though we were about to be gripped by this pandemic,” she explained.
Emotion overwhelmed Mthembu when she was announced as the winner of the prestigious competition that brought with it R10 000 in cash, an array of prizes and a trip to SA Fashion Week next year.
ALSO READ: Bring your Highway Mail to life!
Mthembu said that making up her elaborate outfit had taken more than a month as the process was hampered during the lockdown by the lack of access to the industrial sewing machines at design college. Namisa Mavuma, from the Lindiwe Khuzwayo Academy of Fashion, was the second runner up and second place went to Mamello Putsoane from the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion.
The winner walks away with an all-expenses paid trip the SA Fashion Week 2021, R10 000 in cash from Schweppes and Gold Circle, a R5 000 Gateway Theatre of Shopping gift voucher, a Samsung Galaxy S9 and a R2 500 Kryolan gift voucher.
The first runner-up takes home R3 000 in cash from Schweppes and Gold Circle, a R2 000 Gateway Theatre of Shopping gift voucher and a R1 800 Kyolan gift voucher.
The second runner-up gets R 2 000 in cash from Schweppes and Gold Circle, a R1 000 Gateway Theatre of Shopping gift voucher and a R1 200 Kryolan gift voucher.
Each of the ten finalists gets R2 000 in cash from Schweppes and Gold Circle, and 5GB of data from Vodacom.
The top three students will also be integrated into the Durban Fashion Fair mentorship programme in 2021 and included in their future shows.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
