Mchunu wins best young designer at HDJ 2022
Following months of hard work, planning and judging, Ismael Mchunu from the Durban University of Technology was crowned the winner of the 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse on Saturday.
Mchunu used the 2022 theme of ‘Show Me the Honey’ to focus on the flower that bees pollinate and jumped deeper into the flower with his inspiration coming from the bud.
“For me the theme was all about being sweet so my inspiration was the flower bud and the concept was the beauty inside the bud of the flower when it is open,” Mchunu said.
“That’s the idea that I went on, but man, I am just really, really happy that I managed to win!”
From the beginning of the process Mchunu has been focused on getting to this point and to be the last designer standing and taking home the prizes but the leverage that the award gives is invaluable.
“The process was heavy for me because I spent so much time planning the work but I am very happy that this is how it came out in the end.
“There was a lot of work to do on the garment and to see how it all ended up makes me feel good and I am looking forward to the next steps in my journey,” Mchunu added.
Slindile Ndlovu finished in second place ahead of her fellow Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion student Nhlanhla Dlamini.
Mchunu wins R50 000 in bursary support from the Hollywood Foundation, with the second and third placed students bagging R30 000 and R20 000 from the Hollywood Foundation to support the remainder of their studies.
Mchunu also wins a trip to the SA Fashion Week in October,R10 000 in cash compliments of Gold Circle and Schweppes, and a R5 000 gift card courtesy of Gateway Theatre of Shopping.
Durban University of Technology, as the winning college received a R30 000 grant from Gold Circle to be used to support the programmes and structures in place to develop the design students.
HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY YOUNG DESIGNER AWARDS PRESENTED BY DURBAN FASHION FAIR RESULTS
1. Ismael Mchunu (Durban University of Technology)
2. Slindile Ndlovu (Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion)
3. Nhlanhla Dlamini (Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion)
