The Durban Fashion Fair (DFF), celebrating a seven year run ended on a high note last night (Saturday, September 22) with an award ceremony recognizing local and international emerging and established designers.
The DFF ran alongside the Durban Business Fair who also celebrated their 20th anniversary at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and the Durban Exhibition Centre.
Themed Afrofuturism and hosted by much loved radio and television personality Anele Mdoda, the highlight of this four-day fashion extravaganza celebrated the talents of the future and recognised the maestros of the present.
The most coveted award of the evening – the Durban Designer of the Year 2018 – went to Zama Mathe, head designer of the brand Zarth.
Swazi-born South African actress Amanda du Pont has graced the cover of Glamour magazine’s Freedom Issue. The theme of the issue is titled The Freedom issue – “the cry for it, the experience of it, the thrill of it.” People will get to know more about the Skeem Saam actress. ALSO READ: Amanda Du Pont Buys Herself A …
Local entertainer Zodwa Wabantu hit the runaway at the Durban Fashion Fair. The Vosho Queen was modelling for Muzi Mlambo bridal collection. ALSO READ: The 2018 Durban Fashion Fair ‘New Faces’ Models Are Nearly Ready For Their Close Ups! Speaking to TshisaLIVE about the experience she stated that: “I was told four days ago. There was no …
Hip-hop artist Cassper Nyovest and television personality Thando Thabethe have slammed South African Airways (SAA) after their connection flights to Germany were delayed. ALSO READ: Rapper Cassper Nyovest On His Upcoming Album The rapper took to Twitter blasting the airline and calling them a “Sh** Airline.” “SAA IS A SH*T AIRLINE. After 4 hours of waiting to take …
Actress Buhle Samuels is one of the most admired South African celebrities. Buhle gained prominence after she begged an acting role as Matshidiso Mofokeng on the SABC 2 flagship soap opera, Muvhango in 2014.
Buhle Samuel’s bum used to be the topic of discussion, with some people debating whether her bum is real or fake.
Speaking about her bum in an interview on SABC3’s Afternoon Express in 2016, the former Muvhango actress said: “Sometimes it’s very upsetting to me. It makes me sad, sometimes it makes me very angry ’cause it’s something that I’ve had all my life. Even in high school I stopped wearing skirts because when I would wear skirts, I would just drive the boys crazy.
“I don’t know, it’s just like, it’s crazy. It’s a body part, get over it… If you think it’s fake, please don’t ask me if it’s real, because they’ll be like ‘oh, did you leave your bum pads at home?”
Buhle is currently outside of the country on a vacation. Taking to Instagram, the actress shared some of her vacation photos living her best life.
Africa Meets Asia in a Collection Radiating Gold. Presidential will debut at AFI Fashion Week on Friday 5th October at 8.30pm in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg with The Presidential Gold Collection for Spring/Summer 2018.
Expect a fusion of African and Asian design in vibrant patterns & textures and a thread of luxurious gold throughout.
The brand, already well-known for the distinctive hand-painted silk batik shirts made famous by Nelson Mandela, has crafted a collection marrying African artisanal crafts and styling with Asian prints. Every piece is lined with gold and has distinct golden finishes.
With hand embroidery, patchworking, hand quilting, hand-painted silk and batik fabrics used throughout the collection. The effect is unique, luxurious yet undeniably Presidential.
Presidential has evolved through its collaboration with Italian born designer Pietro Giannuzzi. With over 20 years of experience in haute couture and menswear in South Africa and abroad, Giannuzzi has an innovative approach to design, creating an unprecedented standard for the brand through the use of luxurious and refined fabrics. “To be able to present our collection at this event, alongside so many established and upcoming designers from all over Africa is a great honour” says Giannuzzi.
The revitalisation of Durban’s fashion industry could be the ultimate rags to riches story and the annual Durban Fashion Fair (DFF), which is hosted by the eThekwini Municipality, could play a significant role in providing jobs for the city’s talented youth.
This year’s event, which takes place between September 19 and 22 at the Durban ICC, will showcase the work of 40 South African designers and nine designers from the rest of the continent.
While there are some big names and established designers such as Amanda Laird Cherry, Karen Monk Klingstra and Chu Suwannapha included, the largest portion of participating designers are under 35.
According to Stats SA, the national youth unemployment rate (15 to 34 year-olds) is approximately 40 percent. A large proportion are graduates. Durban has a number of tertiary institutions, many of which teach fashion design.
In light of this, Honourable Mayor of the eThekwini Municipality, Cllr Zandile Gumede, says she is particularly proud of the mentorship programme which culminates in the DFF.
Each year, a group of young talents are handpicked and mentored in order to make their debut into this extremely tough sector a little easier. Overall, approximately 200 young designers have completed the DFF mentorship programme. This year, 20 mentees participated.
The theme for this year’s event Afrofuturism. “We hear about the unfolding fourth industrial revolution and the impact of technology and disruption on companies. But, sometimes, it is also good to start with the basics and inculcate a belief in the future of the African fashion industry in our youth. We may not have many large clothing manufacturers to snap up our new talents but we do have a spirit of entrepreneurship that is alive and well and could create thriving new businesses going forward,” says Gumede.
An example is Mxolisi Mkhize (House of St Luke) who made an entrance at the DFF 2012. “My Business has grown from strength to strength. I have grown as a business man and I see tremendous growth in revenue,” he says.
In just six years, Mkhize has created jobs for an illustrator, pattern maker, a personal assistant and three cutters and machinists.
Tamaryn Green also spoke publicly for the first time about her own battle with TB in 2015. She was diagnosed with TB three years ago but failed to disclose her story because of the stigma associated with it. This made the process of diagnosis and treatment much harder and more traumatic for her.
“It took me three years to talk about my story. I could have avoided a lot of trauma speaking about it sooner. I am now in the process of dealing with it. I want to encourage people not to be afraid to speak up about their problems and get the help they need. It is the only way we are going to beat TB,” – Green said at a press conference.
Through her #breakthestigma campaign, TB survivor Green, will be lending her support to raise awareness of global and national TB campaigns, with the hope that people suffering from tuberculosis will come out of the shadows and are not stigmatised.
GQ South Africa has unveiled their September cover on Thursday. Television personality and radio host Bonang Matheba is the first ever South African woman to front the stand-alone cover of GQ South Africa.
The magazine revealed on Instagram that Matheba is the first ever woman to grace the front of the “stand-alone cover.” She covers GQ’s September “The Power Issue”.
“Presenting @bonang_m for #ThePowerIssue this September. The first ever South African woman to front the stand-alone cover of #GQSouthAfrica, @bonang_m discusses the role of power in the year of the woman, divulges her hopes for the future and reveals what you’ll never hear her talk about. #GQxBonang (sic),” GQ captioned a photo of the cover.
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