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DUT Jewellery Students work on the Miss World Pageant

DUT Jewellery Students work on the Miss World Pageant

Media statement by Nomonde Mbadi, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs

Ten Jewellery Design students from the Durban University of Technology will have the opportunity to have their beautiful jewellery pieces of work worn by top models taking part in the Miss World Pageant fashion show in December 2008.

The fashion directors of Miss World 2008 pageant have approached DUT’s Jewellery Design Department with a view to including some of the jewellery from the Department of Arts and Culture Jewellery Initiative in the Miss World pageant to be screened to 2 billion viewers.

The fashion show will take place 40 minutes before the Miss World pageant actually begins. Forty-five South Africa’s top fashion designers will be creating special garments for the show. The clothes will be worn by the Miss World contestants who will be modelling the garments.

In line with the Department of Fine Art and Jewellery Design’s vision to produce indigenous jewellers and jewellery to address the demands of a broadly defined industry and community, Head of Department, Mr Tony Starkey says: “This is an extraordinary opportunity for the jewellery students and indeed the South African contemporary jewellery sector to gain national and international exposure. This is an exciting and unique chance for exposure for the students.”

Among the ten DUT students whose work will be showcased at the Miss World Pageant are Taryn Coleman, Tessa Hume, Siphelele Manqele and Michelle Stewart.

Final year student, Siphelele Manqele is thrilled to receive such worldwide recognition and he is hopeful that his work will generate a lot of feedback from jewellery industry. He is looking forward to the feedback and recognition that comes after the event. He will be starting work as a jewellery manufacturer at Bernard in uMhlanga Rocks next year.

Taryn Coleman, final year Jewellery Design student, says: ” It makes me feel reaaly good that my work will be worn by top model for the Miss World 2008. My work will get somewhere and I hope to get a lot of business from it.” She plans to do her BTech degree nxt year. She also wants to buy tools to make more jewellery during December holidays.

“I think it is wonderful that the students are able to utilise the skills that they’ve acquired in the department to meet the needs of the world out there,” says Chris de Beer of Jewellery Design Prorgramme.

There will be a full fitting of the students’ jewellery pieces in Johannesburg on Thursday 20 November 2008.

For further information, please contact Bhekani Dlamini on (031) 373 2845 to facilitate the interview.