BACKGROUND
The Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award is a Gold Circle initiative that started over two decades ago. It is a pre-raceday fashion competition open to fashion students studying with accredited colleges or universities in KwaZulu-Natal. They may only enter through their college or university and will be required to design and make a themed raceday ensemble for judging purposes.
The idea was, and still is, to give talented design students an opportunity to start a journey towards a career in fashion. This has been hugely successful for a number of reasons; the enthusiasm of the talented students that submit entries, the colleges that continually support the initiative and the sponsors who believe in it.
Many winners from the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award have gone on to show on national platforms such as Durban Fashion Fair, South African Fashion Week, Africa International and Menswear Fashion Week. Many have started their own fashion businesses and studios and are very successful in a highly competitive industry. Some of our most recent winners have become so successful, they have been invited to show as a Hollywoodbets Durban July Invited Designer. We can proudly say that the Hollywoodbets Durban July was their first truly large platform.
GOING FORWARD
We ask that students submit one finished Raceday Ensemble for judging taking into account the current year’s theme, ensuring that fit, finish quality and attention to detail are highly considered. Students must be creative, but fashion forward and on trend. We select only the ten best, talented students each year.
Whilst prizes are fantastic, it truly is the TV, media and social media attention that makes it most worthwhile, as this lasts long after race day and places the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award finalists and the winner firmly in the public eye.
PRIZES
THE HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY YOUNG DESIGNER AWARD presented by DURBAN FASHION FAIR
FIRST PRIZE
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The winner will receive a “fashion” travel package to Johannesburg to experience SA Fashion Week S/S 2025 taking place in Johannesburg in October 2025, courtesy of Gold Circle and SA Fashion Week.
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THE HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY YOUNG DESIGNER AWARD presented by DURBAN FASHION FAIR
SECOND PRIZE
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From the Hollywood Foundation the student in second place will receive R50 000 worth of bursary funding to go towards paying his/her student loan or for future study funding.
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THE HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY YOUNG DESIGNER AWARD presented by DURBAN FASHION FAIR
THIRD PRIZE
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From the Hollywood Foundation the student in third place will receive R30 000 worth of bursary funding to go towards paying his/her student loan or for future study funding.
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Each of the 10 finalists will receive R2 000.00 in cash, compliments of Gold Circle and Schweppes.
THE WINNING COLLEGE
The College attended by the Winning Student will receive a R30 000 grant from Gold Circle to be used to support the programmes and structures in place to develop the design students.
The Hollywood Foundation has advised that the following requirements for these bursaries to be granted:-
- Institutions where these students are applying from must be accredited.
- The bursary is paid to the institution and not the winners. Therefore, invoices will be required from the institutions and proof of accreditation.
- If the winner is from an unaccredited institution, then the source of funding can’t come from the Bursary programme.
Hollywood Foundation Bursary team will be involved in checking the institutions beforehand.
Fashion Sponsors
