Once a stand-out emerging designer active in the Vodacom Durban July fashion programme, Ludwig Bausch, former DUT Fashion Design and Textiles student, credits this experience and his tenacity with his rapid rise in the ranks of the fashion industry.

“The Vodacom Durban July is a creative boost helping to unleash creative tension that builds up from an industry that can get quite repetitive and uninspiring at times,” explains the talented Pietermaritzburg, KZN Midlands, born designer.

Fashion competitions, like the Vodacom Durban July, offer great opportunities to learn essential qualities like hard work and persistence.

Ever since the fashion designer first began his fashion training at the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion Design and completed it at DUT, he has seen the value in entering design competitions; one of them being the Vodacom Durban July, an annual fashion competition where he enthusiastically honed his fashion and people skills for many years.

“It’s important to enter competitions as an up and coming fashion designer as it’s a great experience media wise and to meet people in the industry. You get a sense of who you are as a designer and if it goes well, you can get your name out there very quickly,” he said.

Apart from the Vodacom Durban July, the DUT graduate has showcased his unique collections at SA Fashion Week, Mercedes Benz Cape Town Fashion Week, the Durban Designer Collection and the 031 Collection presented by Mr Price.

He has also been at the helm of the leading fashion brand Ruff Tung which he took over with close friend and business partner Bridget Pickering following the tragic passing of its founder Jean-Paul Botha. Ludwig started his career at the Durban brand, cherishing his time spent learning from the late Jean-Paul Botha, a South African design legend. “I learnt so much about the industry and my confidence was boosted as a designer,” says Bausch. The brand has since relocated to Cape Town where I have been living and working for the past three years. I am focused on growing its footprint in the e-tail and retail market with garments being sold on platforms like Spree and Zando. They also sell at Space stores nationwide,” he said.

The hard worker sees his personal aesthetic as very conceptual, with strong design details and always with a sense of drama! “Lately, in order to fulfill the needs of the consumer, I have adapted a retail-ready aesthetic with simple shapes clean lines and lots of print blocking,” he said.

He advises aspiring designers, like he once was himself, to never give up when it comes to succeeding in the local fashion industry. “Don’t give up! Make sure you understand the industry you are working in and work hard. It’s not about how great you are but about getting the job done well and leaving those attitudes and egos at home,” Bausch added.

The 2016 Vodacom Durban July takes place at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday 2 July 2016.

– Megan Rich/Gameplan Media

Pictured: Ludwig Bausch (right) on the ramp with his Ruff Tung business partner Bridget Pickering during the recent Mercedes Benz Cape Town Fashion Week.

Picture credit: Gameplan Media