SAFW Student Winner

This past weekend Sandton City hosted the SA Fashion Week Designer Pop Up Shops, where designers and beautifully chic people mixed and mingled. On Saturday the SAFW student competition fashion show took place. The theme for the competition was transformation; the students had to design a high end, modern architectural garment that could change form or appearance to become another garment. All fabrics used had to be natural fibres and the judging panel included the prestigious designer Tiaan Nagel as well as Vesselina Pentcheva. The winner would receive a R5000 cash prize and a SA Fashion Week VIP experience with front row seats at every show.

We caught up with the winner, Ashley Mathiesen from Durban to talk about her design inspiration and future plans as the 2012 SA Fashion Week student competition winner.

Lara: Congratulations Ashley! Did you expect to win at all?
Ashley: Thank you so much! No I didn’t, 6 out of the 10 finalists were from the Durban University of Technology, but I’m so excited!
Lara: The theme was transformation, what was your concept behind the design process?
Ashley: Its quite interesting, I actually had to research a current issue, and I researched KONY 2012 and the transformation from  child to child soldier, how countries treated each other and the relationships between countries, how stories developed and transformed.
Lara: That is definitely an interesting perspective to design from. You were allowed using only natural fibres for your garment, which fabric did you use?
Ashley: I actually used calico.
Lara: Now that you have won, what are your future plans from here on?
Ashley: I am so shocked I haven’t even thought that far, I am only 2nd year now, but I definitely have big dreams!
Lara: Well congratulations again, we wish you all of the best and will look out for you in the future!

Be sure to follow Ashley on twitter @AshleyMathiesen
Words//Lara vd Merwe
Photography// Phillip Sherman