SHEILA MHLONGO
Akusasele nsuku ngaki kuqale owe Iconic 14th yombukiso we-Durban Fashion Fair (DFF) 2025, ozoba ngomhlaka -17 kuya ku-19 Septhemba 2025, e-Durban Exhibition Centre. Isiqubulo salo nyaka esithi: “The Awakening.” sikhombisa ukuzibophezela okuqhubekayo kukaMasipala weTheku ekuthuthukiseni izimboni zobuciko zeDolobha kanye nokukhuphula imfashini yasemadolobheni ibephezulu.
Balinganiselwa ku-60 abasiki bengqephu asebezakhele igama nabasafufusa abamiselwe ukwembula amaqoqo abo aqanjiwe kwesinye sesiteji semfashini esinethonya kakhulu e-Afrika. Kulolu hlu kunamagama agqamile afana noDuke Clothe Your Soul, Mita-N Dzyns, Pinky Dlamini/Modesta, Carita Adams, noKaren Monk Klinstra kanye nabasiki bengqephu abanekhono baseWindhoek, eNamibia.
Selokhu yasungulwa ngo-2011, njengengxenye yohlelo oluphelele lweTheku lokuthuthukisa Imfashini, i-DFF isishintshile isuka ekubeni umbukiso ongaconsi phansi, njengoba inemibukiso eyisithupha nabasiki bengqephu abangu-12 ibe umcimbi obhekwe ngabomvu, wezinsuku ezintathu ozothuthukisa osomabhizinisi bengqephu. USihlalo weKomidi lokuThuthukiswa koMnotho nokuHlelwa kweDolobha, uKhansela Thembo Ntuli, uqhakambise iqhaza le-DFF ekukhuthazeni ukuthuthukiswa komnotho obandakanya ukweseka amabhizinisi, ukuzisebenza kanye nokudala amathuba emisebenzi.
“Eminyakeni engu-13 edlule, i-DFF isiguquke yaba inkundla ebalulekile, esiza ababambiqhaza ukuthi bafinyelele kubathengi nasemathubeni omhlaba, kuyilapho besekela ukukhiqizwa kwasekhaya.” esho. UKhansela uNtuli wengeze ngokuthi i-DFF ihlose ukukhanga abezindaba nabathengi kuphela, kodwa nomphakathi ngokunjalo.
“Ngokugxila ekuthuthukiseni izingubo ezikhiqizwa kuleli ngaphezu kwezimpahla ezithengwa kwamanye amazwe, i-DFF ihlose ukufundisa nokukhuthaza abathengi bakuleli ukuthi bamukele amalebula aseNingizimu Afrika. Le nkundla ikhombisa ithalente lasekhaya, ikhombisa ubuhlakani, ikhwalithi kanye nokuthengeka kwezingubo zethu. Sikholelwa ekusaseni lemfashini yase-Afrika kanye nomoya wosomabhizinisi ochumayo eThekwini.
Izinyanga zokulungiselela ziholele ku-DFF 2025, okuhlanganisa nezinhlelo eziqhubekayo zokuqeqeshwa kwe-DFF Designer Mentorship and Model, ngaphansi kwesambulela sohlelo lukaMasipala weTheku lokuthuthukisa imfashini. Uhlelo lokufundisa, oluqhutshwa yiFezile Fashion Skills Academy, selukhulise abahlanganyeli abangu-24 kusukela ngoNdasa, lubahlomisa ngamakhono abalulekile okudala kanye namabhizinisi. Njengoba cishe abasiki bengqephu abasafufusa abangu-350 bahlomule kulolu hlelo eminyakeni edlule, leli qembu lamanje labaqeqeshi lizokhombisa ngokuziqhenya umsebenzi walo embukisweni we-DFF.
Maka amakhalenda akho omcimbi wemfashini wonyaka! I-DFF izophothula ngemiklomelo ye-DFF Recognition Awards ngomhlaka-26 Septhemba nayo ezoba seDurban Exhibition Centre. Hlala unolwazi ngokulandela i-@Durban Fashion Fair kuzo zonke izinkundla zokuxhumana.
Qaphela indawo ye-DFF isishintshile isuka e-The Station Urban Event Space yaba iDurban Exhibition Centre.
