David Tlale’s Training Initiative To Expose Namibian Fashion Designers
South African and world renowned fashion designer David Tlale believes that young Namibian fashion designers could benefit through continental exposure from his in-house training initiative.
Back to 2013, Tlale introduced the programme to provide practical skills to talented designers in Africa through a one year internship programme at his studio in Johannesburg.
Speaking to The Southern Times after launching his programme in Windhoek recently, the fashion guru elaborated on how “The Intern” would be a good learning curve for upcoming fashion designers.
“They will learn how to build a brand and get exposed to Mercedez Benz Fashion Week in Johannesburg and Cape Town and other big platforms on the continent,” he said.
Via One Economy Foundation, the first Lady Monica Geingos caught the chance to bring Tlale to Namibia in order for Namibian fashion designers to join up this programme, alongside their South African counterparts.
Geingos commented the new development in the local fashion sector that:
“We believe that it is time for the arts to take its rightful place in the entrepreneurial development space.
“We believe this is an opportunity which matches talent, mentorship and entrepreneurial development and falls neatly within the One Economy Foundation’s philosophy of developing talent”.
He encouraged as many Namibians to apply as possible.
“You have got to be a designer, you should be able to make clothes and you should be a designer who wants to take their work to the next level.”
“We are looking for people for are passionate, with a sense of originality and creativity and above anything else a sense of narrative in the fashion industry. We will know it when we see it,” he said, adding that applicants “should not be in the industry for more than five years”. 7 interns will be accepted and being guaranteed place for three Namibians with a tuition fee per applicant, to cover all costs involved for the duration of the Programme.
The Office of the First Lady and the College of the Arts in Namibia will work together on how to raise funding for one applicant, who due to his/her background would not have fair access to this opportunity.
Being a successful candidates, applicants need to fulfill the applicant form and submit with their portfolio such as story board of their designs, showecasing their technique and ability.
Designers have up until the 30th November 2016 to apply.
Application forms are available on the David Tlale website www.davidtlale.com. David Tlale’s hard work and determination propelled him to mark his spot on the coveted runways of New York and Milan.
