School of Fashion Design

2020 ACHIEVEMENTS

School of Fashion Design Pietermaritzburg
excels at the Durban July 2020

Congratulations to the 1st 4 finalists in the #VDJ2020 Young Designer Award competition from the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion.

This category is open to all Fashion Schools across KZN , and this being one of the most recognized titles to hold in SA, Students eagerly participate.

Riding a wave of enthusiasm and perseverance, students from the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion were the biggest winners with 4 out of the Top 10 finalists in the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair.

Encouraged by the successes in previous years of School of Fashion PMB students Martin Steenkamp and Leona Pillay, who won the competition in 2016, the PMB students dominated the list of finalists.
Director of the Renowned college Priscilla Bhika is so proud of her students and is super excited the School of Fashion Design Pietermaritzburg celebrates 55years in existence this year.

Credit goes to the talented Student Designers guided by Lecturers who worked tirelessly within this pandemic to ensure their students excel this year in all facets of Fashion .

Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award programme is now part of the driving force at the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion, and winning almost half of the top ten places is an exciting reward for their enthusiasm and tenacity during a very difficult year," said fashion programme director Tiffany Prior.

The winners were announced at the end of a virtual fashion show at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse and won prizes from Gateway Theatre of Shopping VIP, Schweppes and Durban Fashion Fair as well as the #VDJ2020 Young Designer Award title.

2nd place overall winner:
School of Fashion Design Pietermaritzburg
student Designer: Mamello Putsoane
2019 ACHIEVEMENTS

PIETERMARITZBURG SCHOOL OF FASHION DESIGN has made it to the finals In the Vodacom Durban July Young designer Awards

TOP 10 FINALISTS
From an initial entry of 143 completed outfits for the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair, a panel of judges shortlisted to 25 to designers in Kwa Zulu Natal.13 of the 25 were Proudly from the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion Design.
These finalists were shortlisted further in the prestigious student designer competition held at Gateway Theatre of Shopping.

True to form, the evening was a rollicking showcase of cutting-edge fashion, lateral creative thought and lively support for each of the students as the judges agonised over the tough task of reducing the twenty five semi-finalists to ten finalists.

The 10 finalists in the #VDJ2019 Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair are:

Nosipho Ngcobo, Noxolo Ngabane, Nonjabulo Mfuphi, Mthobisi Hlongwane (all Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion Design), Tanyaradzwa Tirivanhu, Wandile Mbhele, Siphiwo Buthelezi (all Durban University of Technology), Makhosazane Ntshangase, Bongekile Funeka, Thobile Dlamini (all Lindiwe Khuzwayo Academy of Fashion

It is an incredible achievement for these students to be recognized on this prestigious platform.The Director of the College Priscilla Bhika since 1965,is thrilled ,and reiterates, Students from the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion Design have done Umgungundlovu proud.
Mthobisi Hlongwane Nonjabulo Mpfuthi
Nosipho Ngcobo Noxolo Ngubane
   
2018 ACHIEVEMENTS
Pietermaritzburg School of fashion design is proud of their graduates.
Martin is a Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion Design graduate.
Eclectic and acrogenous, he loves to play with big and small silhouettes. He says that his own life story inspires him as well as emerging creative and visionaries with different perspectives to those of the status quo.
His favourite design is a garment for the Vodacom Young Designer Competition which was one of the top five. It was a tailored coat with hand manipulated sleeves and a skirt that was hand embellished with leather scales.
The designer which Steenkamp admires most is Trevor Stuurman due to his bold taste in fashion and the fact that he celebrates the works of up and coming new talent.
Steenkamp describes himself as courageous, honest, emphatic, creative and focused and says his biggest achievement to date was completing his matric and then working for seven years in retail as a fast food manager to save enough money to study fashion design against all the odds at the Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion Design.
He believes it is important to maintain a balance between creativity and the needs of clients.
He is working towards creating a luxury menswear brand that supplies a variety of boutiques and retailers across Africa. Steenkamp wears his own creations. They not only set him apart, but most importantly, are an extension of how he celebrates his brand, John Martin.

Martin Steenkamp with his cheque, has once again mesmerized the audience and judges at the DFF ( DURBAN FASHION FAIR – which happened 2 weeks ago) with his dramatic collection.

Priscilla Bhika is so proud of Martin, for his exceptional talent, hard work and leaving no stone unturned to reach his goal in the Fashion Fraternity.

Martin – receiving his cheque

Martin John Steenkamp won :
• FASHION INNOVATOR 2018 • NEXT GENERATION EMERGING DESIGNER.

 
The School of Fashion Design puts Passion into FASHION
at the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Awards

The School of Fashion Design students compete at the most coveted - pre judging for the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Awards this Monday
(04 June 2018), the theme being
“IT IS TIME”.

Amongst the hundreds that entered, the talent of the city of choice students was admired, as 5 of the top
30 are students of the School of Design - Pietermaritzburg, Nonjabulo Shabalala, Agnes Batubenga, Kelly Knock, Siyabonga Phakathi and Nosipho Ntuli, The School of Fashion Design is keeping their fingers crossed for the finals at the prestigious Vodacom Durban July on the 7 July this year at the Greyville racecourse in Durban.

We are so proud of the immense talent that
our City of Choice cultivates.
Agnes Batubenga
Kelly Knock Nosipho Ntuli
Siyabonga Phakathi Nonjabulo Shabalala
5 designers were chosen in the Mr Price Foundation Programme
From left to right
Mandisa Dladla, Lungisa Cekeshe, Sbonelo Madlala, Tessa Rae van Rensburg & Sbonelo Sosibo.

Athekosi Mfungula
has been in the SA Menswear Week
Sbonelo Sosibo
The Mr Price Foundation Pogramme, Durban Fashion Fair (DFF) & African Fashion International (AFI)
2017 ACHIEVEMENTS
Designers in top 10: Sbonelo Sosibo, Sinenthemba Hlela, Sinenthemba Portia Nduli
Sbonelo Sosibo - Top 5 Vodacom Young Designer Award
Winners of the DFF (Durban Fashion Fair) (from left to right Leona Pillay, Athenkosi Mafungula, Greg Wallis -
mentor for these designers, Martin John Steenkamp and Claudia Novuka) a prestigious event
which took place at the ICC on 26 August 2017 –
THE JUNIOR WINNERS. 4 OUT OF 11 AWARDS were from the Bhika’s School of Fashion Design
2016 ACHIEVEMENTS

DESIGN STUDENTS PUT THE CITY OF CHOICE
ON THE FASHION MAP ONCE AGAIN

Durban Fashion Fair (DFF)
Three students from the fully accredited (registered) Bhika's School of Fashion Design in Pietermaritzburg have been chosen for the Prestigious Durban Fashion Fair (DFF).
A 10 month program that focuses on establishing emerging designers talent into the co-operative world of the Fashion Industry
10 of the best designers are also given the opportunity to go abroad to experience fashion week in Milan.
The 3 chosen students are:- Martin John Steenkamp, Kimberly Naidoo & Ceri Williams


MRP Foundation (Mr Price)
Five Designers from our college have been chosen for this much sort after Mr Price Program and will start their internship from 1 February 2016. They are : Martin John Steenkamp, Kimberly Naidoo, Zothani Gwala, Lutfiyya Gafoor & Phiwokhule Sithole

Nonsikelelo Ninela from the Bhika's School of Fashion Design has been in this program (MRP) since last year (2014), and has been selected to go abroad to be mentored by an international designer - a fully paid for trip.

The Principal (Priscilla Bhika), Staff & designers are overwelmed with the results and wishes the above designers everything of the best - the sky is the limit.