It is with great excitement and pleasure that Gold Circle invite you to submit a storyboard for this year’s Gold Circle Fashion Challenge at the Vodacom Durban July. This competition is open to all aspiring, emerging and established designers, as well as fashion students who are studying outside of KZN and offers finalists a wonderful opportunity to be part of the biggest horse racing and fashion event in the country. Fashion design students, currently studying in Durban, may not enter this event (please refer to the Gold Circle Young Designer Award), however, if you are completing a Btech (4th year) or are studying outside of KZN, you may enter The Gold Circle Fashion Challenge at the Vodacom Durban July.

We ask that you design a Raceday Ensemble, with a hat and relevant accessories, which is stylish, fashionable and encompasses the spirit of one of South Africa’s most prestigious events, the Vodacom Durban July. However, it is essential that you follow the attached brief “A Material World?” which is a very exciting theme, offering so many design opportunities. I encourage you to research this theme thoroughly to ensure your design is fashion forward, interesting and creative. This is a fashion competition and designers must be wary of taking the theme too literally and creating garments that are entirely too theatrical. The judges generally disregard this work.

Please read through the following information.

1. We will select 10 finalists off storyboard submissions. Designers may not change their design in any way, once selected as a finalist.

2. Your storyboard must include a detailed illustration of your design, supporting technical drawings and trim and fabric swatches. You will not be considered without this information. No email entries will be considered.

3. Please fill in the entry form below, which follows and attach to the back of your storyboard. Storyboards must be delivered to Tiffany Prior, 42 Lennox Road, Greyville, Durban, no later than 16h00 on 10 May.


PLEASE NOTE THAT STORYBOARDS SENT VIA THE POST OR COURIER MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE ABOVE DURBAN ADDRESS. NO ENTRIES WILL BE COLLECTED FROM THE POST OFFICE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

4. Judging will take place on 11 May at Greyville Racecourse. Should you be selected as a finalist, you will be required to construct your garments as per the submitted storyboard. You will be provided with a professional model for the shows, shoot and Raceday. Should you wish to use your own model, this will be at your own cost, but they have to be available for all relevant dates as listed below, without exception.

5. Storyboards will not be couriered, posted or delivered back to you under any circumstances, please ensure you make a detailed copy of your board to work from, in the event you may be selected as a finalist. Finalists will be notified telephonically and by email by 14 May, Durban entrants may collect their storyboards from my office on 14 May, however all finalists’ submissions will be kept for use in further judging.

6. Please note that should you be selected as a finalist and not reside in Durban, you will be responsible for all your own travel costs should you wish to attend the shows or the Vodacom Durban July. However, your garments will be couriered to Durban and back to you by the organiser, at no cost to you, in time for all relevant dates. You will not be penalized in any way, should you not have the funds to travel to Durban. Your model will represent you at all events and should you win, all prizes are yours and will not be shared with your model.

7. Please make a note of the following relevant dates, full details will follow should you be selected as a finalist:

11 June Garments couriered to Durban (Regional finalists only)
13 June Fitting (Durban finalists to attend - compulsory)
19 June Rehearsal and Dress rehearsal
20 June Show 1
22 June Shoot & Show 2
07 July Raceday

8. Designers must be aware of the following:- event sponsors: Vodacom, the
Name of the fashion event: The Gold Circle Fashion Challenge and the name of the event: Vodacom Durban July and refer to these correct names in any interview.

9. Designers must meet all deadlines or will automatically be disqualified.

10. A panel of judges will be carefully selected and their knowledge of fashion will be of prime consideration. Their decision is final and NO correspondence will be entered

into under any circumstances. Final judging will take place on 22 June at the Vodacom Durban July Fashion Showcase in Durban. The winner will be announced on Raceday.

11. Prizes are still under negotiation; however the winner will receive R5000.00, the first runner up R2000.00 and the second runner up R1000.00.

12. By entering The Gold Circle Fashion Challenge, designers give the organisers, owners and sponsors of the Vodacom Durban July, permission to use any image taken of their work or themselves, before, during and after the event, in editorial and advertorial content and on the official website.

13. We reserve the right to make any necessary changes to The Gold Circle Fashion Challenge should we deem it necessary in the interest of the event.

Please do not hesitate to call me on 031 309 6114 or email tiffany@dbn.icemodels.co.za  with any questions.

Yours sincerely
Tiffany Prior
Fashion Programme Director & Producer

Download the entry form here