A bustling crowd gathered at the Protea Hotel, Techno Park, on Saturday 16 August as the Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion Design held its annual fashion show.
Thirty-two third-year students each designed and made three looks which graced the catwalk before an enormous crowd.
With a theme of “self-expression” there was much variety and every outfit stood out as fabulously unique – from shimmering shorts and floral maxis to refined menswear and exquisite bridal gowns.
Justine Scott-Turner said her interpretation of the theme allowed her to do what she likes. “My style was modern vintage, so I went with corsets with shorts. I brought in things that represent me, what I grew up with. It was everything from primary school to high school experiences.”
For Tessa Utton the theme was more abstract and her clothes showed off how she has evolved as a person. “My concept was very personal. It was my own transformation out there on the catwalk.”
As part of the applauding audience, Nicole van der Westhuizen said she was blown away by the breathtaking designs. “Everything was different. They could do what they wanted to do and it wasn’t like everyone had to make a dress or had to make a suit. I loved it.
“There was a great variety. I saw some amazing talent. It was just very short, but I suppose all good things go by too quickly,” she added.
Alexia Hechter said she thought the designs lacked that extra bit of flair, but enjoyed the show nonetheless. “I like the show. I do think they could have been a little bit wilder. It seemed safe, but I still liked it.”
“The show was super-amazing! I underestimated all the girls. It was really done professionally and the amount of work that went in was amazing,” said Roxy Lynott.
After their outfits were zipped up and ready to be taken home, it was the student designers whose screams and sighs of relief were heard coming from the gathering in the lobby.
Student designer Chelsea Botha said the show went better than expected and that all her work paid off. “I was very happy with how it went. I’m feeling very confident now that’s over. I am very happy with how my clothes turned out. I executed them to how I feel was perfect.”
Her relief comes after she struggled for weeks on end to produce her show-stopping garb. “I was doing a royalty range and it was very hard to find the right fabric and it took a lot of time. I stayed up late to sew and to get things done.”
“It took forever. I sewed every day and all night. I struggled, actually. It was not as easy as everyone thinks it might be,” agreed Scott-Turner.
Utton shared her frustration of having to fit and fix her outfits before they were perfect, but said it was certainly worth the effort. “Time isn’t as long as you think it is and I really struggled when it came to the final fitting. Alterations are really a challenge because you have to go and unpick what you’ve sewn and you have to fix something that you already put so much work into. It’s all worth it in the end, I guess.”
All in all, Utton was glad she went through all that she did. “I’m very happy. In fact, I am so overwhelmed with happiness. I didn’t expect it to go so well. I was standing backstage and I saw my garments going down the ramp and they looked perfect. It was just the look I was going for.”
Sharné Siverston’s mixture of prints turned heads.
Justine Scott-Turner’s modern-vintage garments wowed the crowd. Her glitter shorts and floral jacket were her favourite pieces.
Tessa Utton confidently struts down the catwalk after the audience praised her designs.
Lerato Mtiya opted for sleek and sophisticated menswear.
Katrien du Toit styled her models with floral crowns.
Maya Hompf’s show-stopping gown was a hit with the fashion-loving crowd.
This contribution was produced as part of a collaboration between LitNet and the University of Stellenbosch's Department of Journalism in 2014.