THE Fashion Development Programme which forms part of the highly successful Durban Fashion Fair (DFF) has put three new fashion brands and four young designers on the city’s fashion map and helped them kickstart their dreams of becoming movers and shakers in the world of fashion.
Sicelinhlanhla Ngcobo and Khulekani Mzwandile Sithole who are behind the brand “Black Rose”, together with Cari St Quentin and Zamabhele Ntshangase, were picked out from 20 mentees who participated in the programme during 2018. They were crowned Rising Stars at the DFF Recognition Awards hosted at the ICC recently.
The 2018 DFF Designer Mentorship programme began in December 2017 when eThekwini Municipality advertised for trainee or “wanna-be designers” throughout the greater eThekwini area to apply and submit storyboards. These, as well as a series of interviews, resulted in the selection of 20 designer mentees who started the programme in February 2018. Their exciting journey culminated in the annual DFF.
During this fashion extravaganza, a panel of judges picked out the three Rising Stars based on the creations on the DFF catwalk as well as their work behind the scenes.
