Port city hosts fashion fair for designers

DRAPED in fine fabrics and innovative designs, the Durban Fashion Fair starts today.

The fair is an eThekwini Municipality initiative, aimed at growing the fashion industry in the port city and creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Scores of young designers put their names forward in November last year and 21 were chosen to take part in the programme. This includes the opportunity to work closely with some of the city’s top fashion gurus as well as their fellow designers.

The interns, who range in age from 23 to 35, are all working in the fashion industry.

Selection was based on three pillars – creativity (which was judged on story boards); garment construction; as well as business acumen (a traceable client base, business plan and business skills).

All the interns from this year will see their work on the ramp at the Durban Fashion Fair later this year, while some of them will be showcasing for the first time to the city’s fashionistas as well as buyers, suppliers and industry leaders and media all under one roof.

The programme manager for the business support, tourism and markets unit, Sindi Shangase, who has driven the fair since its inception in 2012, said the mentorship programme was intended to train enterprising young designers in all aspects of the fashion business and prepare them and their collections for the fair.

The fair ends on Saturday, when the winners will be announced. – Staff Reporter