Hot designs on show

NMMU design students are set to take to the ramp once again next weekend as the fashion department holds its annual Collective Graduate Fashion Show at the north campus Goldfields Auditorium.

The show, which starts at 7pm on October 25, will see third and fourth-year design students as well as this year's first and second-year winning designs from the Free Creative Fashion Show last month.

NMMU fashion design lecturer Harm Grobbelaar said the clothing ranges are exceptionally good this year.

"Fashion students were briefed to design ranges that are conceptually interesting and something new. There are inspirations from 'steam punk' to new 'alien species', 'anti-fashion' and everything in-between. There is also a range that was entirely knitted. Colours are vibrant and the ranges present good energy in design," Grobbelaar said.

"The third-year students will showcase eight outfits and the fourth years will create as many garments as required by the difficulty degree of their research – which varies between four and 10."

The event unites design students from different departments within the faculty of arts.

"The Collective is an incubator for the top, emerging, creative design talent from NMMU's design departments. This event is to present them in the best possible light. We do this through a series of events culminating in 'the Collective' Graduate Fashion Show, a showcase of fashion, textiles, graphic, interior and photography resulting in a dynamic and vibey extravaganza featuring the design excellence of our students.

"Graphic design students designed all the branding for the fashion student ranges, photography students did all the photos of the ranges and Interior students designed the stage for the show.

"All of these works will be shown as part of the fashion show," he said.

The Free Creative Fashion Show saw 52 students showcasing their designs according to the theme "Ancient Aliens – Myths and Legends". The students designed outfits inspired by the cultural past of regions North America, South and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Oceania. Sixteen of those students were chosen as finalists and will participate in their very own section of the show.

Second-year fashion design student, Kerryn van den Elshout found inspiration from Australia and Oceania.

"I found my inspiration from weapons and metal – anything power orientated," she said.

Another finalist, Robyn Furstenburg, said: "I am still so happy that I was chosen and that now, my garments will be seen on a greater scale at the Collective," she said.

ýTickets are R110 each and can be bought at Computicket.