The world of Durban fashion was abuzz this week with the annual Durban University of Technology 2017 Fashion Show.
Adding to the excitement, and a first in South Africa, was the inclusion of fashion students from China who showcased their designs. Two of the students, Manfei Yang, 21 and Wei Wei, 22, arrived on Wednesday with a delegation of academics from the Beijing Institute of Fashion and Technology (BIFT).
Through an interpreter, Yang and Wei said they were excited to be in Durban, their first visit to South Africa.
“It is such a learning experience. The fashion here is very different from Chinese design, here there is more focus on traditional culture in designs. It’s very good,” said Yang.
Yang showcased men’s sportswear which she described as being on-trend and cool in China, while Wei’s collection included soft feminine designs, saying she focused on a simple look.
They also brought collections from two other young designers – He Lin, who went for bold and bright, and Yue He, who showcased soft teal and oyster dresses.
Yang and Wei said going to fabric markets in China gave them a wide variety.
“There are many fabric markets in Beijing, where you can get up to six or more floors of fabric. As students, we go and get swatches of material to take back to college. Once we know which fabric we want to use, we call and place the order,” said Wei.
DUT Department of Fashion & Textiles spokesperson, Meena Bagwandin, said the newly formed exchange programme with students from Beijing saw top Durban students showcasing at the BIFT shows earlier in the year.
“Our greatest international accomplishment is sharing our graduation platform with our international exchange school, BIFT. This also allows for the students to share ideas. Our Durban students want to compete on an international level and this exchange programme has upped the level of creativity. We are both proud and excited to show their students’ work at our show,” said Bagwandin.
The theme for the 2017 Fashion Show was “False Gods” which saw 36 third-year students competing in various categories. The event started on Wednesday night, with last night being the gala evening.
Article by: Bunner Tony (http://deathrattlesports.com/fashion-fusion-in-durban/99436)
Pictured: Students from The Beijing Institute of Fashion and Technology, Wei Wei and Manfei Yang, share skills with Durban second-year fashion student, Alec Sosibo. Collections from China were showcased for the first time at the Durban University of Technology Fashion Show 2017.
Picture: Zanele Zulu
