Young designers explore fashion business at STADIO Randburg campus’ Young Designer Workshop
Aspiring designers gathered at STADIO Randburg for an informative Young Designer Workshop, where industry leaders, including Otsile Kgosi, shared insights on the creative and business sides of fashion.
On Wednesday, September 18, the STADIO Randburg campus hosted an engaging Young Designer Workshop. The event ran from 12:00 to 15:00 and aimed to inspire aspiring fashion designers by offering both creative and business related insights.
The workshop started with a warm welcome from Happy MaKhumalo Ngidi, a key figure in the fashion industry. She set a positive tone for the afternoon, encouraging attendees to immerse themselves in the learning experience.
Read more: Stadio to host Comic Con Africa Sew-A-Thon
“So, today is essentially a workshop for fashion students aligned to a campaign that Proudly South African runs every year called: the Local Fashion Police, which seeks to showcase to South Africans that we have great quality products in the country; the fashion industry is very labour intensive and creates a lot of jobs and contributes to the value chain of the sector immensely, so, in a nutshell, today we are just demonstrating to students the real world of fashion,” said Ngidi.
Otsile Kgosi, representing the renowned local brand Otis Seflo, took the stage to share his expertise on the business side of fashion. His presentation focused on the realities of turning creative passion into a sustainable business, offering practical advice on how young designers can succeed in a competitive market.
Also read: Comic-Con Africa holds an innovative sewing competition
With the theme: ‘Wear Local’, the workshop highlighted the importance of embracing and promoting local fashion, underscoring the need for young designers to connect their work with cultural roots while maintaining a strong entrepreneurial approach.
Janis Robson, who is the business development head for SME at FNB, spoke on the importance of why local products are instrumental in fashion. “It is important to support our local business because that inevitably contributes to the growth of the economy. Knowing the current constraints of the economy, we must be able to build from the ground up.”
The students were split up into two groups, each being assigned a different problem to solve, both groups then got the chance to present their answers to the audience. This provided a sense of the real working environment that awaits the students.
The event was not only a learning opportunity but also a celebration of creativity and collaboration, allowing participants to network and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals.
The workshop was a success, leaving attendees inspired and equipped with valuable knowledge to further their careers in fashion.
Follow us on our Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok pages. Join our WhatsApp group for any story ideas you may have.
Related article: Fashion extravaganza in the virtual space
