Durban’s glittering Durban Fashion Fair (DFF) – now in its fourth year, hosted by Idols SA judge Somizi Mhlongo – ended with a bang on Saturday night with the first ever Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards held at the SUNdeck at Suncoast.
Top of the pops was the 2015 Durban Designer of the Year, Zama Mathe, and her brand ZARTH who was one of the 55 designers taking part to take the ultimate accolade.
This was a particularly special moment for the eThekwini Municipality which created the DFF to nurture young talent and support the development of new designers. Zama Mathe first showed her designs on the DFF ramp in 2013 and was awarded a sponsored internship to Milan as a result.
The Durban Fashion Legend Award went to another Durban success story – Andre Martin of Life. The Best Menswear Collection went to House of St Luke, whose head designer, Mxolisi Luke Mkhize, was chosen for an internship to Milan in 2012. Thula Sindi’s designs earned the Collection of the Week award while footwear designer, Reggie Xaba, of Yellow Folder Trading, was presented with the Fashion Innovator of the Year Award.
Sadie Boswell Smith collected the Next Generation Emerging Durban Designer of the Year Award while the Fashion Business Award went to Mac Cosmetics. The international guest designer award went to Jamal Taslaq (JAMAL TASLAQ COUTURE). On the modelling front, the new faces of the year were Twinky Dimba (woman) and Olwethu Cele (men).
The eagerly awaited naming of the ten interns chosen to go to Milan for a two month internship marked the highlight of the awards evening. The top three – Eli Ball* (Eli Ball- Made in Africa), Blaire Hill (Bamboo Hill) and Neliswa Jili (Makuyi Design) – were presented with Rising Stars Awards. They will be accompanied to Milan next month by Sadie Bosworth Smith (Sadie Bosworth), Kat Shoesmith (KSD- Kat Shoesmith Designs), Khanyisile Malimela (Khanyi), Nokubonga Mbambo (Tymles Creations), Zamir Dada (BEL1EV) Nontuthuko Langa (Endless Inspirations)and Thulisiwe Zakwe (RUUTZ).
*Eli Ball, the designer for Eli Ball made in Africa, which features both men’s and ladies wear and accessories, is one of the 2015 Fashion mentee’s participating in the Durban Fashion Fair 2015 DFF Next Generation Show chosen to go to Milan.
From Sherwood, Ball studied at La Moda Academy of Fashion and said that his passion for fashion started from a young age.
“My classic, elegant and comfortable design style is inspired by textures, building shapes and objects, body shapes, seasons and nature – anything that moves me inside,” he added.
Through the Durban Fashion Fair, Ball hopes to expose his brand to the right market and claimed that the mentee workshops this year have allowed him a deeper insight into the industry and helped him improve on specific skills.
