Fashion designers ready for Dundee July

Preparations for the horse-riding event are almost complete on the fashion designers’ side as they completed their workshops last Wednesday and Thursday. 
Fezile Mdletshe, a facilitator from the KwaZulu-Natal Fashion Council (KZNFC), completed a critical training session with the designers in which she expressed her happiness with the work produced for this year’s Dundee July. Designers were critiqued on the overall collection, trend, inspiration, mood board, colour swatches, fabric selection, fit and quality control, which Fezile was extremely happy with.
On the same day, models conducted a modelling boot camp with Shaun teaching them presentation manners and how to walk on the runway. The last session for the designers and models was held by Sherwin Sookraj, in which he demonstrated how to apply make-up for guys and girls. 
These workshops were done free of charge. The KZNFC has taught these young people to be able to handle competition and be competitors in the big world. Eight of the designers were lucky to receive hat-making training in order to incorporate them with the outfits to be showcased at the Dundee July. Fezile said that there is a lot of talent in Dundee, it is just that it is underrated and not properly sourced. 
“There are 40- and 50-year-old ladies who have taught themselves to be designers, and they are producing really amazing clothes. The aim of the workshops was to help assist designers into incorporating couture and commercial fashion”. Fezile said the KZNFC conducted the workshop to try and teach them how to come up with designs that are sell-able – that people will want to buy as soon as they see them on the runway. Training conducted included inspiration and designing your own collection, introduction to colour palettes, themes and silhouettes. The critics will be the judges and the onlookers at the horse-riding event to take place on July 19.