The Nedbank Cup Football Fan Fashion campus tour got underway at the University of Johannesburg’s Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture Auditorium, where 12 students presented their best work to a panel of three judges. 

A core of eight students was selected by the panel, which included renowned fashion designer David Tlale, social columnist Thembalethu Zulu and Desiree Smal, Head of Fashion Design at UJ.

The eight selected students will now form part of the final 16 students, who will collaborate with 16 football superfans and 16 of SA’s top designers in their attempt to design iconic football inspired fashion. 

The tour will move to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology on April 15, where four additional students will be selected, before concluding at the Durban University of Technology’s City Campus Auditorium on 17 April.

Students will present storyboards and garments depicting their creative process to a panel of judges, whose criteria for selection will be based on:

- Storyboard presentation (to show inspiration and level of research conducted).

- Concept for their designs.

- Originality (to show authenticity in their thinking and creative direction).

- Final Garment (to show final design, execution and quality of the original idea and tailoring skills, as a physical demonstration from sketch to final product).

Once again, we have to admit that this is a fantastic initiative, and I simply cannot wait to see the final products.