Day two of the coveted DUT Fashion Show 2013 took place last night (Thursday, 04, October 2013) where the best 20 ranges which will compete for the top five spots this evening (Friday 05, October, 2013) were chosen.
An experienced judging panel- the Holmes Brothers, a Durban design duo; Sindi Shangase, eThekwini Municipality Business Support Programme Manager who is also in charge of the Durban Fashion Fair; Bianca Warren, DUT graduate who owns two fashion boutiques in Umhlanga and Greg Wallac, DUT graduate and fashion industry expert who supplies many SA fashion chain stores and has been a finalist in the Anglo American Mentor of the Year award for several years- faced a tough time as they had to decide which of the 37 aspirant designers would make it to tonight’s finale.
Kiara Gounder, Benazeer Muller, Kendall Cocking, Ayanda Mthembu, Nqobile Mdletshe, Chanel Letschert, Casey Grenfall, Yonela Sigadla, Brook Warwick, Lisa Jojo, Lungelo Mashaba, Nomfundo Madlala, Ashley Mathiesen, Megan Carrie, Michelle Bain, Sinead Stockton, Tayla Hamilton, Kylie Stott, Kylie Chalmers, Keegan Anderson and Danielle De Bruyn made it to the top 21 and will compete in tonight’s finale.
The top five winning categories are Most Innovative Range, Most Commercial Range, Best Menswear Range, Best Range on Show and Best Technical Student.
“It was a hard decision last night (for the judges),” said Sunthra Moodley, DUT Fashion and Textiles HoD. “All the ranges were good. We would have chosen all (of the ranges for the final) if possible. Whoever wins (tonight) deserves it,” said Moodley.
In terms of tonight’s winners, the judges will look for ranges that fit the five categories. Making an example of the Most Innovative Range, Moodley said the judges would look for something new, different, has never been done before and stands out from the rest when deciding on the winner of this category.
Benazeer Muller’s Mind Control men’s range was among those (ranges) that stood out in yesterday’s show. Her designs featured male models in all black; with some wearing Turkish mosque hats and carried x-ray film backpacks. Mulla said she looked to the traditional symbolism of heraldic crests or shields and Soviet 1958-1963 propaganda posters to inspire her print designs. This took pictorial references from mythology and occultism while reinterpreting the shapes with sharp angular lines.
“This was then infused with contemporary Cyrillic and ambigram typography. My range was inspired by underground Soviet street style, occultism within a secular society and the multi-faceted nature of the human brain. This dark, cyber-punk interpretation explores noisy gritty textures, interrupted utilitarian design and a rebellious approach to anti-fashion reminiscent of a futuristic post apocalyptic industrial revolution,” she said.
Nqobile Mdletshe’s Evolution of AmaNdebele in Soweto was another range that also stood out. Through her range that featured models adorned in fabrics with colourful Ndebele tribal prints as well as beads, Mdletshe sought to stress the importance of sticking to one’s routes no matter where life may take you.
The finale takes place tonight at 19h00 at the Fred Crookes Sports Centre, DUT Steve Biko, Gate 5.
– Sinegugu Ndlovu
Pictured: Some of the designs that made it to the top 21. Spotting a reed mat cape is a model wearing one of Nqobile Mdletshe’s Evolution of AmaNdebele in Soweto range designs. In all black with a touch of silver is Benazeer Muller standing beside models dressed in her Mind Control range.
