On 5 November 2025, the Department of Fashion and Textiles held its annual student awards and exhibition opening, celebrating creativity, academic achievement, and innovation in fashion. This event highlighted the students’ dedication, resilience, and passion. Acting Head of Department Ms Tando Mbanga delivered the opening speech and recognised top students. The event consisted of two phases: the first dedicated to celebrating academic excellence, and the second to showcasing creative work at the exhibition.

 “These awards recognise consistent commitment, curiosity, and high achievement in both theoretical and practical modules. Academic excellence is not only about grades, it is about critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and the ability to merge creativity with discipline”. The event began by acknowledging the first- and second-year students who have excelled academically. At First Year Level the best Academic Performance award went to: Leah Singh. At Second Year Level the best Academic Performance award went to: Catlin Edwards,” shared Mbanga.

Third-year awards celebrate the results of the three-year learning journey. The third year is a crucial period in which students exhibit their capacity to convert creative concepts into comprehensive, market-ready collections. The third-year awards were divided into four categories:

• Department Recognition Award – celebrating a student who embodies the department’s values through leadership, collaboration, and commitment to the learning community, the award went to: Fundiswa Mkhize.
• Most Commercial Range Award – for a collection that best balances creativity with market appeal, demonstrating business viability, the award went to: Lebenya Tshepang.
• Most Innovative Range Award – for a designer who has pushed creative and conceptual boundaries, explored new materials, or applied experimental methods in an original and meaningful way, the award went to: Mlungisi Ndlovu.
• Best Technical Range Award – for excellence in construction, precision, and finish — the craft that turns design into quality product, the award went to Kasandra Govender.

The exhibition featured the work of Advanced Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma students. The Advanced Diploma in Fashion builds on this foundation, offers a setting for sophisticated experimentation, critical analysis, and professional preparedness. To prepare for leadership positions or business endeavors in the fashion industry, students interact with challenging design issues, sustainability issues, and industry partnerships. The Postgraduate Diploma in Fashion deepens this engagement further by encouraging students to use research-led practice to examine current fashion concerns. The curriculum develops self-reliant, thoughtful designers who can advance knowledge, sustainable innovation, and cross-cultural communication in the South African and international fashion scenes.

We had the privilege of interviewing two students, Mlungisi Ndlovu and Fundiswa Mkhize. Ndlovu gave us an insight on his design Unfastened, which he explained that it is about liberation, emotionally, creatively, and structurally. It represents breaking free from boundaries and expectations, especially within tailoring. “I wanted to challenge the traditional idea of what a tailored garment should look like, opening it up to vulnerability, asymmetry, and bold self-expression. The collection tells a story of release, unfastening what confines us and redefining strength through design.”

When inquired about the motivation behind her design, Mkhize said, “My childhood dream of becoming an architect served as the inspiration for my design. I’ve always been impressed by how sturdy and well-constructed buildings are, rising from the earth with purpose and accuracy. I realized I could still build when I decided to pursue fashion, but I would construct structures to wear rather than buildings. My perspective was greatly shaped by the Art Deco movement and Durban’s stunning architecture; symmetry, strong lines, and geometry affected my fabric manipulation and design decisions.”

Ndlovu’s advice to aspiring fashion designers was to be brave enough to experiment. “Fashion is about questioning what already exists and finding your own language through fabric and form. Technical skill is important, but emotion and authenticity will always set your work apart. Fashion design requires more than creativity it takes consistency, boldness, and a strong work ethic.”

Mbanga gave the closing speech, congratulating the students who exhibited their designs at the gallery, “In closing, I want to congratulate our students, on your achievements. You are the next generation of South African designers, visionaries, and change-makers. Continue to use fashion not only as a form of expression but as a tool for transformation. To our staff and partners, thank you for your unwavering support and belief in our students.”

Pictured: One of the winners for the Best Technical Range Award is Kasandra Govender.

Isiphile Mathenjwa