The theme for 2023 was Diamonds under Pressure, and the winners were announced at at a glamorous event held at the No Name Village in Vaalpark on Saturday, 19  August.

Winners

Category 1 ((No training)  – 1. Wesley Wessels, 2. Zanele Kambula and 3. Constance Mosala.

Category 2 (Still in training or just completed training) –  1. Milly Manavhela, 2. Preciious Sibiya and 3. Vuyelwa Jwili.

Category 3 (With an established business) – 1. Micahlene Wolfaardt, 2. Lisa Mari le Roux and 3. Sainile Zitha.

Prizes

The 2023 Vaal, Designer of the year winners received gift boxes from CoCo Box. Rivièra on Vaal sponsored the three category winners with a well-deserving break-away.

Inkwe Guest Lodge sponsored the second place winners with a break-away and The No Name Bar sponsored third place winners with meal vouchers. Vaal Mall  & River Square sponsored the winners with exhibit space to the value of R20 000.

The organisers, Renita Lombard and Brandan Erxleben chose 45 garments to be showcased by the Mr, Miss & Mrs Diamond of the Vaal Finalists.

Esther Loubser (Stigma Fashions) assisted in her professional capacity as a Designer of the Vaal Triangle with quality control during the screening process to select the final garments.

Soma Sense Academy students did the models hair and make-up for this prestigious event.

Guests were welcomed with a glass of champagne sponsored by The Wine Cork.

Tentworx styled the venue with exquisite decor and SA Music Group sponsored staging, lighting and sound.

Special thanks were given to Mooivaal Media and 90.6fm for being The Vaal Designer of the Year’ media sponsors.

More fun

Two former winners of the Vaal Designer of the Year competition, Marius de Jager (2015) and Mariska Pfahl (2013), competed against each other for fun.

The were supplied with material and each designer drew a wild card to complete a garment. Marius who drew leaves as a wild card, won by a small margin. Mariska’s wild card was cork.