Durban Fashion Fair mentees get boost in training for fashion business

‘Durban Fashion Fair’ (DFF) class of 2022 mentees. Picture: Supplied.

‘Durban Fashion Fair’ (DFF) class of 2022 mentees. Picture: Supplied.

Published Jul 13, 2022

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Emerging designers, a total of 23, were selected to participate in the Durban Fashion Fair mentorship programme.

In its 11th year, the DFF mentorship programme is an initiative developed to grow the fashion industry in the eThekwini municipality and create a platform for employment and entrepreneurship.

The mentees are being mentored about the business of fashion by Fezile Mdletshe, Managing Director and Founder of the Fezile Fashion Skills Academy and Nondumiso Mthembu from the City’s Business Support, Tourism, Market and Agri-Business Unit.

Mdletshe and her team will guide the mentees on orientation and textile selection and they will provide valuable information on manufacturing, brand management, costs and how the designers can enter into retail space.

The mentees will be given weekly tasks where they’ll be able to critique each other’s work as they learn how to design collections.

Once they’ve mastered that art, they will each create a collection to present to a larger audience of fashion buyers, the media, critiques and the general public at the annual DFF fashion show happening this September.

The top three mentees who will present the best collections will be rewarded with awesome prizes at the Durban Fashion Fair Awards.

The Durban Fashion Fair 2022 takes place between September 21 and 24 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre.

In other news, Durban Fashion Fair presented the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award at the Durban July, which was won by Durban University of Technology (DUT) second-year fashion and textiles student Ismael Mchunu.