The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Fashion and Textiles Department is excited to host its annual Fashion Exhibition, celebrating the innovative work of its talented students. This eagerly awaited event, themed Behold the “I” will take place at the Brickfield Campus in Durban on Friday, 15 November 2024, at 18:00.
The exhibition which is open to the DUT community at no cost, will feature creative and innovative collections from third-year Diploma in Fashion students, Advanced Diploma students and Postgraduate Diploma students. It will feature unique designs, fresh perspectives, and will showcase the future of fashion through the eyes of the DUT fashion students. Guests will get the amazing experience of viewing the details of the fashion collections in person, and meeting the student designers.
According to Ms Tando Mbanga, Head of Department of Fashion and Textiles at DUT, the event serves as a platform for final-year fashion students to present their designs to industry professionals, peers, and the public, highlighting their skills and innovative approaches to fashion.
“The origins of the DUT Fashion Exhibition dates back several decades, evolving in response to fashion trends, education shifts and societal changes. The format of the show has developed, migrating from a traditional fashion runway show to more a digital, fashion film and photography format, an intersection of technology and fashion. The fashion show, whether in runway, exhibition, or digital format, continues to be an important event within DUT, not only celebrating student creativity but also reinforcing connections with the South African and international fashion industry, enhancing the employability and visibility our adaptive graduates,” explained Mbanga.
Some of the DUT Fashion Exhibition collections.
Unpacking the 2024 theme entitled Behold the “I”, Mbanga said it is based on a poem of the same name written by DUT Fashion lecturer, poet and multimedia artist; Lee Scott Hempson. referencing elements of identity, heritage and self. Mbanga indicated that the theme encouraged students to view fashion introspectively as a form of storytelling. Students were encouraged to critically engage with the concepts presented in the theme, looking beyond fashion as a cultural phenomenon.
The 2024 judges are: Nombuleleo Madonsela, a seasoned fashion buyer with over 10 years of experience in the retail industry, Michelle Dindi, a fashion designer and consultant who and honed her skills in luxury brand marketing in Paris before pivoting to sustainable fashion solutions. Also amongst the esteemed judges will be Ann-Marie Tully, a South African artist, arts educator and visual researcher. She is currently a lecturer at the DUT Department of Fine Art and Jewellery Design.
The students will be competing in five different categories of awards which are; Best Range on Show, Most Innovative Range, Most Commercial Range, Best Technical Range and The competition will be judged by a panel of fashion industry experts.
The event is in line with the DUT ENVISION2030 strategy working towards the university students being creative and innovative. It also aligns well with the DUT brand values and tagline: Creative. Distinctive. Impactful. The annual DUT Fashion Exhibition consistently presents an innovative approach to fashion presentation.
“The show format evolves every year, adapting to industry trends and technological advancement. The introduction of multimedia presentations allows students to engage with cutting-edge modes of creative storytelling and fashion-marketing. The show encourages the integration of cross-disciplinary practices, merging design, art, multimedia and sustainable design solutions. This year, fashion students have expressed unique narratives and deep, relevant themes such as identity, heritage and social justice through their collections. This inspires social relevance and creative impact,” added Mbanga.
In addition, she said the event allows fashion students to push the limits of their creativity whilst reflecting on real-world challenges. She believes this aligns with DUT’s focus on producing innovative, creative and adaptive graduates who can make meaningful contributions to society and industry.
Pictured: Some of the DUT Fashion Exhibition collections.
Photo credit: Fashion and Textiles Department
Simangele Zuma
