The Hollywood Foundation and eThekwini Municipality’s Durban Fashion Fair (DFF) Development Programme celebrated and congratulated the Rising Stars at an event held in Umhlanga. This year’s contestants are all emerging fashion designers who were grateful to receive much-needed assistance in July after showcasing at the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
The Hollywood Foundation announced their pledge of R250 000 towards the DFF’s Rising Stars, during the semi-finals of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award, that was held at Gateway Theatre of Shopping. The nine Rising Stars were selected as part of the Enterprise and Supplier Development programme at the Hollywood Foundation, following a vetting process in the form of interviews with Group Transformation Manager, Babongile Mkhize. The funding was awarded in the form of equipment and any other tools that the designers would require to conduct their day-to-day business. Some of the fashion houses that received assistance are owned by emerging designers, and included Glamisa Exquisite (Pty) Ltd, Suzie Dlamini Apparel, Paul Kotini, Indoni Fashion House, Libo Creation, Zaviar Trading and House of Saint Luke.
The event took place at the Hollywoodbets Head Office in Umhlanga, on 4 August. It was a celebration for the Rising Stars that received support, and included the presence of the nine designers, representatives from the Hollywood Foundation and the Durban Fashion Fair, as well as the eThekwini Municipality’s Economic Development and Planning Committee Chairperson, Cllr Thanduxolo Sabelo. The event included heart-warming speeches to motivate and uplift designers to imprint their mark in the fashion world.
