The designers and their models celebrate reaching the finals of the HDJ Young Designer Award on Wednesday. Picture: Graham Daniel /Gameplan
Ten of KwaZulu-Natal's most promising young fashion talents have secured their spots in the finals of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award.
They were announced after a dazzling semi-final showcase at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping on Wednesday evening.
The semi-final event, part of the Durban Fashion Fair, concluded with the selection of 10 student designers who will now advance to the final rounds of judging.
The evening also featured a showcase of ready-to-wear garments from prominent retailers in Gateway.
Hailing from various colleges across the province, these finalists will present their creations at the Hollywoodbets Durban July Preview Fashion Show on Friday June 28. They will then face the final round of judging during the Hollywoodbets Durban July on Saturday July 6.
These talented semi-finalists were chosen from nearly 100 entrants earlier this month, each presenting race-day designs inspired by this year's theme, Ride the Wave.
The judges were tasked with the difficult decision of narrowing the field to just 10 from a pool of extraordinary creativity and craftsmanship.
Greg Wallis, a veteran judge of the Durban July, expressed his excitement about the innovative ideas showcased by the young designers.
“I have been judging the Durban July for more than 30 years, and the Young Designers, which is a recent addition to the family, really excites me because we are now seeing young, new ideas,” Wallis remarked.
“The technical side of the storyboard is new and exciting, and the way they have incorporated the theme and tied it back into the garment has been very important.”
Hollywoodbets Brand Ambassador and former Bafana Bafana captain Teko “The General” Modise, also part of the judging panel, praised the creativity he witnessed.
“For me, this year is an improvement from last year, which is to be expected. I can see a lot of hard work and creativity that has gone into these designs. I am inspired every time I come here,” said Modise.
“It was tough to choose the top 10, but it should be like that; it should not be easy.”
Modise added that there were several other designers who could have easily made the cut, but ultimately, only 10 could be chosen. “For those that made it, congratulations to them,” said the two-time South African Footballer of the Year.
The preview show on June 28 is a key event in the month-long build-up to the fashion spectacle at the Hollywoodbets Durban July. Student designers will showcase their work alongside the Durban Fashion Fair Rising Stars and the HDJ Invited Designers at Gateway Theatre of Shopping. They will also present their creations in front of thousands of spectators on race day, July 6, when winners of the various fashion competitions will be announced.
The student finalists are competing for a share of R100 000 worth of bursaries from the Hollywood Foundation for the top three students, along with other prizes.
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