Bay’s flag of fashion flies high
Global honour for NMMU student
NMMU fashion design graduate Arielle Arndt has arrived back from San Francisco after being the only South African student whose talent was recognised by the International Arts of Fashion Student Competition in the US this year.
Arndt, 22, a diploma fashion designing student finishing her B Tech in fashion while training with Port Elizabeth designer Natalie Creed, was chosen out of nearly 500 South African applicants. “I was extremely happy and felt very blessed to be as the only South African chosen.”
Students from 36 fashion schools and universities from 79 countries applied and 50 were chosen to take part in the 11th Arts of Fashion Competition in October. It is the second year in a row that a student from NMMU has been chosen.
Bianca Boshoff, 23, represented the country last year. Five winners were chosen and received internships from leading designers and labels.
Arndt said despite not being one of them she still felt like a winner.
“This trip opened my eyes to the different thinking patterns of people around the world. It showed me [how] to think out of the box.
“To have been chosen as the only student designer from South Africa was already a huge accomplishment,” she said. “It was an honour to be part of the AOF competition.”
Arndt described her competition range as glamorous, elegant, sophisticated and trendy, as well as focused on versatility while remaining proudly South African.
“I love using mohair because it is versatile, lustrous, soft, elegant, odourless and a natural fibre, which means it is eco-friendly and proudly South African.”
From October 22 to November 5, Arndt and the other contestants attended master classes and met leading designers.
“I learnt a lot from designers like [French designer] Lea Peckre and [Belgian designer] Zoe Vermeire.””
Participants produced two of the three garments they designed to exhibit at the competition fashion show and the final round of judging. Garments had to be an interpretation of “transparency”. Arndt portrayed that “people must be individuals, not conforming to society’s perception of them, just loving themselves for who God created them to be”.
Next year Arndt will work as a trainee fashion buyer at Truworths in Johannesburg.