8 July 2010

A feast of fashion expected at Vodacom Durban July Fashion Experience shows

Durban – Greyville Racecourse has been inundated with calls requesting tickets for the hugely popular Vodacom Durban July Fashion Experience shows set for next week.

These three glitzy shows feature many household name designers, while at the same time uncovering some of the best of South Africa’s emerging design talent, providing a compelling fashion industry platform set to this year’s theme “It’s a Blooming Great Day!”

For the past few months designers have had the challenging creative task of designing their garments for one of the four pre-raceday fashion competitions.

The four competitions include the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award open nationally to all students currently studying fashion design; the national Fashion Challenge competition open to all designers; the Invited Designer Showcase where eight established designers are invited to showcase a range of three raceday designs, and the inaugural Extraordinary Hat Competition.

“Expect to see an amazing collection of work from some of the country’s most respected designers, including fantastic and clever designs from our ten Young Designer Award finalists,” said fashion programme director Tiffany Prior.

“These shows are a sneak preview for fashion lovers and socialites eager to find out what to expect on the fashion front on Vodacom Durban July day on Saturday 31 July,” said Event Marketing Manager, Ken Tweddell. “It’s something we look forward to every year!”

The week of fashion starts on Monday 12 July with the Young Designer Award KwaZulu-Natal regional finals and the show is free and open to all fashion followers. Here three regional finalists will be selected for the finals on Wednesday 14 July, where they will join seven finalists from the Eastern and Western Cape, Bloemfontein and Gauteng.

The remaining two spectacular shows – the Cheese and Wine evening on Wednesday 14 July and the Dinner on Friday 16 July are widely known as the insight into “what to wear on raceday.”

These two stylish shows include the finals of the Young Designer Award and the Fashion Challenge, a viewing of the Extraordinary Hats and will culminate in the eagerly awaited first showing of the Invited Designer Showcase.

“The shows keep evolving and this year features the gorgeous Victor Samsanov on violin, Liam Magner and Ewok from Spit Munky mixing live for the Young Designers, ballerinas on pointe in Extraordinary Hats and a electric string trio, all brought together under the creative direction of David Gouldie,” said Prior.

“I’m also so excited that three of our Invited Designers are featured in the July issue of Fair Lady magazine!” added Prior.

All the shows are held in the Champions Room on the first floor of the main grandstand at Greyville Racecourse. For reservations and information contact Simone Holmes on 031-3141645.

Any questions about the Vodacom Durban July Fashion programme can be directed to the fashion programme director Tiffany Prior on (031) 309 6114 or by email on tiffany@dbn.icemodels.co.za

The Vodacom Durban July takes place at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, 31 July 2010. More information can be found at www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za   

2010 Vodacom Durban July theme

"IT’S A BLOOMING GREAT DAY"

Plant a seed of good fortune,
In the garden of your mind.
Gather design, reap style,
Till it’s one of a kind.

Take a chance on wild,
Exotic if you must.
The flowers of our land,
Sub-tropical or dust.

A mixed bouquet,
In the early light of day.
Or maybe one brilliant bud,
Standing proud is the way.

Indigenous is ingenious,
A good bet to be seen.
Recycling’s one way,
Another is ‘think green’.

In a garden of colour,
One contest stands high.
A blooming great race,
The Vodacom Durban July.

The Vodacom Durban July
Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event

Anthony Grote / Gameplan Media