Durban University of Technology fashion designer student, Shelley Botha and Kyra-Moon Halfpenny are shooting for the stars. Along with two other AFI Fastrack 2012 finalists, the pair has secured an eight-week internship with Foschini in Cape Town.
A prize giving ceremony, attended by Graham Stewart; the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design, lecturers and students was held at the DUT Fashion and Textile department recently. The students were each awarded R10 000 by AFI Business Development Manager Bella Cebekhulu and Chairman of KZN Fashion Council Greg Wallis.
Having come straight out of university, Botha said she counts herself really lucky and is “undoubtedly excited about this good opportunity”.
Halfpenny, whose range Cebekhulu she said was popular with media and bloggers attributed her achievement to hard work and dedication. She advised Fashion and Textile students to follow suit.
A national fashion design development platform, AFI Fastrack is a partnership between Africa Fashion International and Foschini that aims to nurture and develop South Africa’s young and dynamic designers. The designers are offered an opportunity to fast track their careers through intensive mentorship, business development coaching and mentorship for future success.
Upon completion of the internship with Foschini the finalists will get a chance to develop and launch their capsule collection at Africa Fashion week in October this year.
Before, AFI Fastrack catered only for Johannesburg and Cape Town designers. However, through Cebekhulu’s persistence, the competition was nationalised. A proud DUT alumnus and Durbanite, Cebekhulu said although Botha and Halfpenny were up against tough opponents during the competition, she was impressed by how well the two represented DUT and Durban. Their ranges showed innovation, creativity and workmanship; elements judges sought to see during the competition.
“You could put these two ranges on any international platform and they would shine,” said Cebekhulu.
— Naledi Hlefane
Caption: AFI Fastrack finalists Kyra-Moon Halfpenny and Shelley Botha.
