(Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award winner Leona
Magdelene Pillay (right) celebrates with her model Mahlatse. Pic by Gameplan
Media)
Seen as a vital stepping-stone for any career in fashion, the
Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award and Vodacom Durban July Fashion
Challenge Award came to a dramatic close with DUT Fashion and Textiles students
surging to the top spots of both competitions.
Both competitions are presented by the Durban Fashion Fair. The 2016 Vodacom Durban July was staged at Greyville
Racecourse on July 2.
DUT student Leona Magdelene Pillay was crowned the winner of
the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award while Kimosha Ganas walked away
with the Vodacom Durban July Fashion Challenge Award. Shéskia Aprakshya
Ramnath, also from DUT, scooped second prize in the Vodacom Durban July Young
Designer Award competition.
Designers had to dazzle the judges on the technicality of
their outfit, how well they innovatively interpreted the theme and if they
succeeded in creating a race-day ensemble that effortlessly portrayed the
stylish and sophisticated spirit of the Vodacom Durban July.
It was up to the local fashion connoisseurs, made up of
Invited Designers Francois Vedemme and Kathrin Kidger, Sindi Shangase from the
Durban Fashion Fair, East Coast Radio presenter and media personality Terence
Pillay as well as Fashion Editor of Grazia, Nonkuthalo Thithi, to decide the
winning fate of which creations lived up to the tough brief.
“The quality and the concept of each designer's outfit in
relation to the Vodacom Durban July fashion theme, Leader of the Pack, set the winners apart, and lastly, how well the
garment is constructed", said Shangase.
Trumping scores of other fashion students from around the
province, Pillay's royal blue and beige ensemble won her a once-in-a-lifetime
accompanied trip to New York Fashion Week.“My design was inspired by the Queen
of Spades who is seated right next to the strongest card of the pack, the King
of Spades. I believe that behind every successful man is a strong women,"
she said.
Ganas' futuristic inspired outfit with geometric prints
helped her to take home first prize for the Fashion Challenge, beating other
aspiring designers and out-of-province students. She was visibly overwhelmed by
her win, saying, "I wanted to do something trendy and high fashion and
used the diamond shape as my inspiration. I also wanted to incorporate some fun
and popping colours”.
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