THE Durban Fashion Fair (DFF), taking place from 15 to 17 December, will see some of the city’s finest creatives strut their designs on the catwalk.
The event will take place at the Durban Exhibition Centre. This year, the DFF commemorates 10 years of the show.
They will showcase more than 50 designers across the Durban fashion design industry, from the established big names through to the emerging talent.
Leona Magdalene Adams, 27, is one of the fashion designers selected to show off her creations.
Adams, originally from Pietermaritzburg, said she was inspired to get into this field by her late grandmother, who could take simplest items and turn them into something valuable.
“I decided to call my brand Lordes, which was her name. I promised myself to carry her legacy,” said Adams.
Adams obtained her diploma in fashion design from the School of Fashion Design in Pietermaritzburg.
She said, apart from doing shows, she also has her own fashion business where she mostly does custom looks for private clients.
“I specialise in women’s wear, but I am slowly branching into men's wear. I love bold and outstanding, but simple in patterning. My designs are between avant-garde and classic clean looks,” she said.
Adams’ showcase is scheduled for December 15 at 7pm. This will mark her third showcase at the DFF.
Adams said that she was first introduced to the fair in 2017 when she was a mentee at the Durban Fashion Fairs’ Mentorship Programme.
Meanwhile, Nomalungelo Charity Mkhize, another designer selected for this year’s event, had honed in on pushing boundaries with her Plus-Size range.
The 30-year-old, who was born in KwaMakhutha and currently lives at uMlazi township, said she started in the modelling industry as a plus-size model.
“The love grew and grew for plus size clothing from then,” she said.
Mkhize said she chose to specialise in the plus-size market after noticing a gap in that market.
“As a plus-size woman myself, I used to struggle to get sizes and perfect fitting clothing,” she said.
Mkhize studied at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) for Sport Management. She also studied business management at The Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA).
She also owns EYC Couture, a fashion boutique in Morningside, Durban, which specialises in making clothing for plus size women.
“This is a booming market with so many opportunities,” said Mkhize.
Mkhize, who has showcased at the Durban Fashion Fair in 2018, said her new show wiould take place on December 16 at 6pm.
In a statement, the eThekwini Municipality said the DFF was created to encourage people to buy locally produced goods.
According to the DFF’s Facebook page, the event will feature 12 shows with local designers’ collections and pop-up stalls where attendees can buy the available fashion products.
*Tickets are available for R100 per show at all Boxer and Pick ‘n Pay stores, as well as from www.webtickets.co.za.
*For more information on all the designers visit Durban Fashion Fair on Facebook.