Second-year students in the Department of Fashion and Textiles at the Durban University of Technology’s Brickfield Campus are designing fun, stylish and creative slippers to help raise funds for children suffering with life-threatening illnesses across KwaZulu-Natal.

KZN Reach For A Dream celebrates the third year of its Reach For Your Slippers campaign. This year, the charity aims to get more people into their slippers for one day than ever before to raise awareness and funds for children’s dreams.

The project was included as part of the 2 & 3 Dimensional Design Module under the direction and supervision of DUT Lecturer Mala Gokal. “It’s an excellent way for the students to put a design together using their creativity, following guidelines, and incorporating what they have learnt throughout the year as well as supporting such a worthy cause,” said Gokal.

Students’ slipper designs will be shortlisted by Gokal, who has now incorporated the assignment into the students’ syllabus and is hoping to continue the relationship with Reach For A Dream and the Slipper Campaign in the years to come.

The 18 students’ designs are currently on display at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping in front of Browns Jewellers and Mac Make-up. The three week exhibition will last until August 2, 2013. Members of the public are welcome to view these elaborate designs as well as bid on them in a silent auction. The students will be rewarded with prizes in first, second and third place.

– Sinegugu Ndlovu

One of the fun slippers that were designed by second-year students in the Department of Fashion and Textiles at DUT as part of the KZN Reach For A Dream’s Reach For Your Slippers campaign. The designs are currently on show at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping.