WHEN the judges unveiled the names of the top ten at a spectacular fashion event at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping recently, the buzz around the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award, presented by Durban Fashion Fair, grew dramatically.
On Wednesday evening, June 15, the 25 semi-finalists displayed race-day outfits inspired by the Hollywoodbets Durban July theme ‘Show Me The Honey’, all contending for a piece of the R100 000 prize pool set aside for the Hollywood Foundation’s top three students.
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“This year, we saw a lot of thought, planning and research that I haven’t seen in past years,” she continued.
The gathering of fashionistas revealed the innovative interpretations of the theme and the complex construction of their eye-catching race-day outfits.
Given the depth and quality of the entries, from students of design colleges and technikons around the province, the judges had a difficult time narrowing down the top ten outfits. Nine rising designers were also chosen for the DFF Rising Stars Collection.
Four Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion students, two Durban University of Technology students, two Eldonai School of Fashion students, and one each from the Fezile Fashion Skills Academy and the Lindiwe Khuzwayo Academy of Fashion Design make up the final ten.
“This competition has improved considerably over the previous thirty years,” stated seasoned judge Greg Wallis.
The ten finalists in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award, presented by Durban Fashion Fair, are:
Sinqobile Nzama and Ismael Mchunu (Durban University of Technology);
Nhlanhla Dlamini, Nandi Mkhize, Sebenzile Cecilia and Slindile Ndlovu (Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion);
Vuyisile Nguzanye (Lindiwe Khuzwayo Academy of Fashion Design);
Siyathokoza Zikhali (Fezile Fashion Skills Academy);
Kenda Ntumba and Nonjabulo Khanyile (Eldonai School of Fashion).
On Saturday, July 2, the top three will be announced on the Fashion Stage at the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
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