This year’s eagerly anticipated Durban Fashion Fair (#DFF2020) – an iconic fashion event that continues to grow in stature every year – will again highlight plenty of glamour and glitter on September 23, 24, 25 – only, this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone will get a “front row seat” on our virtual platform!
With over 25 top designers, mostly local, we will again come together to not only celebrate the fascination of fashion but boost the city’s fashion economy by supporting local talent and local businesses!
EThekwini Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, said that the theme for #DFF2020 – “The Show Must Go On!” – was particularly important as the city’s economy had been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and required lockdown regulations and every opportunity needed to be taken to help restore the livelihood of the city’s businesses.
“Identifying and optimising empowerment opportunities is crucial to ensure sustainability of businesses. The DFF is one of the platforms to be used to assist in the City’s economic recovery efforts. Often, we focus only on the traditional manufacturing and services sectors when it comes to growing the city’s economy but we should never forget the important contribution made by the so-called creative industries – and the textile and clothing industry which includes both big businesses and SMME’s is one of the most important segments of that,” said Kaunda.
He noted that the close association between the world of fashion and the economy stretches still further as the DFF is an integral part of the broader 2020 Durban Business Fair.
This premier business gathering, proudly hosted by eThekwini Municipality through the Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit, has reflected local government’s commitment to boosting business growth for more than 22 years.
Since DFF was launched as the SMME Fair with just under 100 participants, it has grown to a major event on the business calendar and features over 600 successful enterprises across diverse sectors. It is an important platform for businesses to access new markets, acquire much needed information and forge business linkages that translate into sustainable growth.
This year’s overall theme – The show must go on – will resonate with those in the broader clothing and textile sectors as well as those who design the unique garments that will be showcased on the DFF ramp.
