The final day of the 2014 Annual DUT Fashion Show, held on Friday (3 October 2014) saw the Fred Crookes Sports Centre, DUT Steve Biko Campus, filled to capacity with fashion fanatics.

On the day’s evening, the top 15 (out of 30) contenders would battle it out on the runway for a win in the competition’s top five winning categories, namely: Most Innovative Range, Most Commercial Range, The Roy Holmes Award, Best Range on Show and Best Technical Student. With blogging being a useful tool for designers to research what is trending at street level and how their clothes are being interpreted, this year’s Fashion Show was themed BLOG THIS BEESH.

Sarah Stoute secured a win in the Most Innovative Range category, walking away with a cash prize of R5000. The Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal, born aspiring designer was also announced as a finalist in next year’s Africa Fashion International (AFI) Fasttrack programme; a national fashion design development platform that aims to nurture and develop South Africa’s young and dynamic designers. In the programme, designers are offered an opportunity to “fast track” their careers through intensive mentorship, business development coaching and mentorship for future success.

Stoute used the 2014 Annual DUT Fashion Show as an opportunity to showcase her love for the corporate world. “I love the corporate world. I love taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary just like how I did with my collection.

I really loved the theme, I had fun doing it. I was surprised but am extremely happy and thrilled to be a winner. I decided to do a corporate range when I realised that there was a gap for corporate yet sleek wear,” Stoute said excitedly.

Stoute will be doing her Bachelor of Technology degree in Fashion next year (2015) and has been busy entering competitions. She made it to the top 10 at the SA Student Fashion Week Competition early this year (2014) where she secured second place position. Stoute has also participated in the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award 2014 and made it to the top 15.

“I hope my selection to the AFI Fasttrack programme will open many doors for my work. Winning the Most Innovative Range award is a great build up to my five year plan of having my work get as much exposure as possible, “ said Stoute.

This year’s lineup of judges included Durban Fashion Fair Programme Manager Sindi Shangase, Fashion Industry Stalwart Greg Wallis, Fashion Designer Kathrin Kidger and clothing design, manufacture and retail moguls The Holmes Brothers.

DUT’s Fashion and Textiles Head of Department, Sunthra Moodley, said the Annual Show was the main highlight of the year for students. “The use of blogs in education gave these students a global perspective. The interpretation of the theme saw students go on a self-discovery, a journey to express their identity and make a social statement,” she said.

Impressed with the designs, Faculty of Arts and Design Executive Dean (Acting), Dr Rene Smith, congratulated the Department of Fashion and Textiles and its students on the successful fashion show. She said fashion and talent were one of the main reasons she was still in KwaZulu-Natal.

“This is truly amazing. When I moved back to the province from Johannesburg a year ago, I told myself that I would stay in KZN for a year or two but I cannot go back. The outstanding fashion, talent and beauty of the province and the Faculty of Arts and Design is what has kept me here. I just cannot find such extraordinary work anywhere else,” she said.

-Noxolo Memela

Pictured: Sarah Stoute’s sleek corporate collection which won her the Most Innovative Range Award.