For one of the driving forces behind the Durban Fashion Fair programme Nonku Mthembu, the deputy head of the SMME Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit at the eThekwini Municipality, the new platform with the Vodacom Durban July provides a robust stepping stone in establishing the next generation of design talent.

“For me, the Vodacom Durban July Fashion Experience DFF’s Rising Stars Collection category is extremely important to us as the eThekwini Municipality as it gives us an opportunity to highlight how our programs are well thought-out and well-structured empowerment tools to connect designer learnings from the moment of training emerging designers to sharpen their business acumen and design skills to them displaying their skills learned on a big and as international a show as the Vodacom Durban July.

“The City’s Fashion Development program, affectionately known as the Durban Fashion Fair (DFF) has reinforced the fact that the municipality is serious about fostering Durban’s thriving fashion and creative industry and is dedicated to making this sector one of the economically viable sectors, especially during this time of Covid-19 and the threat it poses to the economy.

“The DFF’s Rising Stars Collection category consisted of eight emerging Durban designers that were part of the DFF Class of 2020 Fashion Mentorship program where we trained and mentored twenty designers and twenty models, amid COVID-19. This is a fashion empowerment program dedicated to giving designers tools as well as the much-needed spotlight as they start their fashion careers,” said Mthembu.

“These are new entrants in the industry and it is exciting to see how they have collaborated to present such an amazing collection instead of individual pieces and competing against each other. Their interpretation of the theme “Birds of a Feather” is on point! It is creative, fashion forward and so Vodacom Durban July! I also like how they have paid attention to detail, texture and colour to show their skills.