Kotze chosen as Elle's belle of fashion design

Kotze's clothing label, Jane+Elizabeth, won Elle magazine's Rising Star award at a glamorous ceremony in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, last night.

After an intense day of judging of the eight finalists, Elle editor Jackie Burger said all the finalists had wonderful, creative designs, but that the final decision was based on how designers worked to a business plan.

The finalists had all attended a Gordon School of Business Science course, developed specifically for the competition for emerging fashion designers.

The course was aimed to get them thinking about how to succeed in the fashion industry.

On her blog profile Kotze describes herself as "a fashionista hermit, a neat freak, a dork, an obsessive collector of stationery and a nostalgia addict. I love to draw, I love fashion, I draw what I love ... and I sew a little."

She made her first article of clothing for her Barbie doll.

Another finalist was Sindiso Khumalo, who makes her own fabrics for designs she says are inspired by Durban taxi ranks and markets.

Kotze won a cash prize of R25000 and a mentorship from Gordon School of Business Science and Talk Shop's Savannah Erasmus.

Retailer Mr Price will collaborate with Kotze to adapt her collection to be sold in selected Mr Price stores under own label.

Source: The Times