Lebogang wins best design with 922 votes

Lebogang Maphanga was announced the winner of Highveld Mall’s Decor Design Competition which ran last year.
The competition which ran from November 14 to December 29 throughout Highveld Mall saw up and coming local fashion-, interior- and décor designers take part.

“The motivation behind this project was to invest in the community and create a platform for designers to showcase their talent and skill. The challenge was to use a mannequin and a blank canvas and create a Christmas inspired design to best represent their brand in their specific field of expertise,” said Henri Gouws, marketing manager.

Highveld Mall received 25 entries and after a gruelling selection process 14 designs were selected and were on display in the mall.

Lebogang was awarded R5 000 for winning Highveld Mall’s Décor Design Competition last December. Here are from left: Cynthia Mavundla (Highveld Mall marketing assistant), Orlien Garofalo (winner of the voter lucky draw), Lebogang Maphanga (design winner), Ntombi Rablao-Maphanga (her mom), Andries du Preez (CANSA Witbank), and Henri Gouws (Highveld Mall marketing manager)

The mall invited the public to come and view the 14 designs during the festive season and enter the design challenge SMS competition by voting for the design they admire the most.

Each design was accompanied by a story board with the designer’s information, company details and inspiration behind the design.

Lebogang’s winning design.

In total 2 490 votes were received and Lebogang won with a total of 922 votes.
The charity she chose to receive the R5 000 sponsorship was CANSA Highveld.

“The competition drew my interest in knowing I would be going up against various designers, fashion, interior, landscape and décor. I saw it as a challenge being a graphic designer,” said Lebogang.

It was the perfect opportunity for her to showcase her brand.

Her main goal of the design was to communicate with her audience.

“Photos are a perfect means to get it across,” she said

Lebogang then went and took a number of photos of friends and family which she attached to the base of the dress above the gift bags, she also took photos of eMalahleni’s shoppers and used those to fill the dress from the top.

“I worked the photos into the dress creating a flow, it made it unique in every aspect and I felt it was visual and communicated my Christmas message across perfectly,” she said.