Berkeley College Partners To Empower Emerging Female Designers In South Africa
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Director, Marketing
973-200-1181
Panagiot-Babadeli2@BerkeleyCollege.edu
EMERGING FEMALE DESIGNERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Photo Caption: Pictured (L to R) are Manthe Ribane from Manthe Ribane, Thando Ntuli from MUNKUS, Gugu Peteni from Gugu by Gugu, Keneilwe Mothoa from Neimil, and Tsakani Mashaba from Hamethop.
A leader in fashion and business education, Berkeley College is leading a unique collaborative effort to change the narrative for women in Africa and the world. Berkeley has partnered with Give Her a Crown South Africa, a female empowerment platform; as well as Jaguar South Africa; the African Fashion Council; and Nigerian-born NYC-based designer Chuks Collins, with the aim of elevating the voices of emerging South African female designers and offering a platform that highlights creativity, culture, and social change. By fostering opportunities for women to thrive in the fashion industry, the partnership supports economic empowerment while celebrating African fashion's unique flair. Together, they are inspiring a new generation of female innovators.
Spotlight on emerging female artists
The five emerging female designers from South Africa, supported by GIVEHERACROWNSA, took New York Fashion Week (NYFW) by storm. The designers were greeted with a press event at the South African Consulate and joined by Berkeley College for an exciting welcome. The five designers showcased their Spring Summer ’25 collection for the very first time with a NYFW runway show held at Chelsea Factory.
Masterclass series on the business of fashion
Andrea Kennedy, Lead Faculty in the Fashion Merchandising and Management program at Berkeley College, in collaboration with Linda Mauro, Chief Operating Officer at Berkeley NYC campus, and Chuks Collins, Co-Founder of the African Fashion Council and Berkeley College’s Designer-In-Residence 2024, curated a masterclass series on the business of fashion. Virtual classes kicked off in July 2024, and in-person sessions took place during NYFW. The program focuses on empowering designers through business acumen and creativity, ensuring that their unique visions can flourish beyond the runway.
The benefits of collaboration
Berkeley College’s involvement highlights the vital role of education in fashion, equipping these emerging South African designers with the business skills needed for global success. This collaboration blends fashion, culture, and innovation, fostering opportunities for women to thrive as industry leaders.
“It has been an such an honor first to develop and collaborate with fellow fashion professors at Berkeley College in order to create a series of fashion-business masterclasses for the five “Give Her a Crown”-winning South African fashion designers,” said Professor Kennedy. “And next to teach this blend of virtual and in-person lessons to these five amazing creatives. The masterclasses are focused on essential business aspects of fashion—from branding and marketing to wholesale and production strategies, to legal, costing and sustainability considerations. This is what we teach day in and day out and serving these talented designers helps support them in taking their creative designs from concept to profitable business models.”
Berkeley students gained invaluable experience by supporting these artists behind the scenes during their fashion shows, reinforcing the College’s commitment to experiential learning. This hands-on exposure helps students understand fashion production and event planning and empowers the next generation of creative talent.
Support from the business community
“GiveHerACrown as an empowerment platform, has consistently used art to challenge and redefine narratives around gender equality, celebrating the stories of women from all walks of life,” noted Irene Kakooza, Communications and PR of Jaguar South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. “Jaguar South Africa’s ongoing support since 2020 underscores its dedication to fostering creativity and innovation. This year, the selected designers were mentored through masterclasses by Berkeley College, enhancing their ability to translate powerful themes into wearable art and fostering viable and sustainable businesses.”
Exceptional learning and networking experiences
Professor Kennedy continued, “In addition, the Berkeley College Give Her a Crown partnership also enriches our Berkeley College fashion-degree students learning experiences, as through this collaboration, our students were provided hands-on learning backstage and at the front of the house during the Give Her a Crown NYFW runway show, as well as exceptional networking opportunities—all creating a vibrant global community of Berkeley learners. It’s all a great example of our commitment to innovative and experiential Fashion learning at Berkeley College.”
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 3,500 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for 11 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2023-2024 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.
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