Umgungundlovu College shakes up Young Designer Award

On Wednesday, KZN’s top ten fashion design students in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair competition will be named to go forward for final judging, but regardless of the results, a relatively new college programme has already made fashionistas sit up and take notice.

The Pietermaritzburg-based Umgungundlovu TVET College dominated the list of semi-finalists with nine of their entrants making it through to the 25 chosen to display their designs for the judges in the second round this week.

What makes the Umgungundlovu TVET College’s success even more exciting is the fact this is the first year the college has put students forward into the prestigious student designer competition.

With big prizes on offer, including R50 000, R30 000 and R20 000 study bursaries from Hollywood Foundation for the top three students, there is no shortage of competition in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair, so to have more than a third of the semi-final places from one relatively unknown college is a remarkable success story.

Lecturer and one of the key drivers of the clothing production course at the college, Martin John, attributes the student’s success to good mentorship and support.

“I truly believe what contributed to the success of our students, is the mentorship,” said John, himself an accomplished designer who won the Classic Womenswear competition at the Hollywoodbets Durban July last year. “Without proper mentorship, there is no clear direction and understanding.

“I believe it is important to guide students in developing a clear point of view in the work that they present, and that will be evident in the cut, silhouette, textures, choice of fabrics, colour story and styling of the look they create. Our students spend a lot if time doing intensive research and content building which they integrate in every aspect of their design.”

“I believe our approach to design is different at a campus level and I think that has set us apart from other design institutions. As a campus we are not competing with any other institutions – we focus solely on what we do best, and we execute the work we do according to that understanding and thinking.

“I always tell my students It is important to eliminate the voices that distract from the art you choose to put out into the world. I think because of that, our students produce more authentic, honest work that speaks to their own understanding of their creative that they take from this year’s ‘Out of this World’ theme.”

John is excited to have his students taking part in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair because, as a finalist in 2015, he understands the value of the competition to a fledgling career.

“The young designer platform is such a vital and important component in our industry. Not only does it highlight the work of our students, it elevates their designer profiles as brands in the industry. I am a product of this platform myself and I am testament of what this platform can do for one’s career in the fashion industry.”

And who is he expecting to be among the top three on July 1?

“From our students, I believe Hlonela Danisa, Bongumusa Bhengu and Okhule Mzimba have the potential to be in the top three … they tick all the boxes of what the judges are looking for in terms of the criteria.”