WOW.I felt very welcome at Mr Price- I had my own desk with flowers and pictures stuck up of my fashion week range! Going on the trip first was a good idea because at least when I got to the office some faces were familiar. I loved seeing how the office works- how each department works together to get the right clothes into store! And because I had been on the trip and was able to see the latest looks and then see how they are translated into saleable collections was very interesting.

The most important thing I learnt was how to buy for your customer base and not only your personal taste. As obvious as it sounds it was a huge lesson!

The trip to London was an eyeopener!! I had never been overseas & loved the concept of a fashion high street- the sheer volume of the clothes out there was crazy!! I couldn’t believe how everyday the stores looked new- with all the merchandising refreshed for a new day! The visual experience of the stores too was soo amazing with so much effort being put into the displays, mannequin styling & windows!

I thought the trend company we visted was very cool- I think having access to so much on trend information so far in advance is very valuable- I wish there was an affordable version of this for the man on the street!

For me it was it was a completely different approach to how I usually design for small units and a niche demographic. Keeping my style signature but ensuring commercial appeal was a challenge- bouncing ideas off the design team helped me understand and better execute a range that needs to appeal to Mr Price’s customer base.

JULY- in selected stores. Call 031 3108671 for more info.

Well… I redesigned my fashion week collection- taking into account the season and expected commerciality- expect bright prints in contrast with some cool plain basics.

Winning the competition has exposed me to many wonderful things that I wouldn’t have been able to do or see on my own in such a short space of time. This was made possible by ELLE & MR PRICE.  This investment in up-and-coming designers encourages local young talent to enter competions and get exposure to make a bright future for themselves.

Thank you for this opportunity.

At the moment I work for a local designer and am happy learning and expanding on my knowledge of running a small fashion business. My clothes are currently in MeMeMe & JQ (Cape Town) but am looking to stock more stores. Another thing I would like to do for my label is work on creating a unique and cool brand identity. Next on my agenda is working on the concept for my next SA Fashion Week Collection & working on my soon to be launched website.

Contact Marize on marizemalan83@yahoo.com/ marize.malan@gmail.com