Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
A helping hand for the matric dance
Young designers to showcase their creativity
THERE is an old saying that there are five key dresses a woman should wear in her lifetime: a school uniform, matric dance dress, graduation gown, wedding gown and maternity gown.
The G12 Runway competition is taking the weight off young girls’ shoulders for one of these dresses, the matric dance dress. G12 Runway is a design competition which provide winners with a fabulous make-over and dress for their matric dance and young designers with great prizes too.
This year the G12 judges include designers Gert Johan Coetzee and Kluk CGDT, singer Lira and Zanele Kumalo, editor of Grazia.
The winning dress sketches will go into production for the winning girls, who will also receive luxury hampers, gift vouchers, pamper sessions, accessories and hair and make-up for their big night. The winning designers will also be in line for prizes.
Goodhope FM DJ, actress and businesswoman Ayanda Dlamini, the creator of the competition, was prompted to start G12 because she didn’t attend her matric dance.
“I didn’t go to my matric dance because I didn’t want to put pressure on my mom and the financial burden. I know there are many girls out there who relate to this.
“G12 Runway gives them an opportunity to not only lift some of that burden but also a memorable night looking gorgeous. And for our young designers an opportunity to show off their creativity and learn that there’s nothing out of fashion about giving back to those who need,” she said.
Dlamini grew up in Gugulethu and Langa and later moved to the suburbs with her family. “I went to relatively good schools.
“I wanted to be a primary school teacher at one point. I went and studied it, but ended up with a diploma in speech and drama teaching.” She is starring in the Xhosa TV series Isikizi on Mzansi Magic.
The 33-year-old said she had a good childhood. “I was raised by a single mother and great fitting second-hand goodies.
“While we didn’t have much our mother did her best to give us a rich sense of life. We were exposed to a lot of things from free classical orchestra concerts, lots of books thanks to the library, the beach and swimming lessons… that’s big for a black kid.”
Dlamini reminded young women that they are never too young to get real about life. “I think a lot of times young women think they will take themselves seriously when they are 25 or married, forgetting that if you just let life happen that is the life you will get.”
Pupils and designers who are interested in entering the competition need to go to www. g12runway.co.za. The closing date for the entries is August 19 and winners will be announced on September 8.
All girls in matric are eligible to enter and young designers for the design category must be 18 to 30 years old. All entrants must be from Cape Town.
sinolwazi.april@inl.co.za