South African finalist from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology: Eileen Booysen

Eileen Booysen is a design student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and one of the South African finalists in the 2008 Triumph Inspiration Awards. Encouraged by family and friends to pursue a career in fashion design, Booysen constantly challenges her creativity by exploring innovative design concepts as she prepares to enter the world of fashion design.

Booysen says that the key to success in this highly competitive industry is finding the balance between originality and commercial appeal. Fashion needs to connect with the relevant target markets on a personal level, ensuring that your garment goes from nice-to-have to need-to-have.

Seeing the Triumph Inspiration Award as a high profile competition offering local emerging talent a platform to shine in the international arena, Booysen couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Putting her mind on the challenge, Booysen began thinking about the theme “female fascination” and what it meant to her. Trying to encapsulate the essence of a woman in her design and all the elements that bring out the best in us, Booysen based her design on memories – all of the moments in our lives that essentially make us the people that we are today. Taking this idea even further, Booysen’s design focuses on childish innocence and the fond memories we all have growing up. Booysen believes that texture and fabric is what sets her design apart, making her lingerie unique and special.

Having an appreciation for many different designers, Booysen says that she aspires to make her mark next to those who choose the road less traveled. Designers who take risks and constantly push the boundaries of design creativity.

Finalist profile: Sune Venter, Tshwane University

Suné Venter is a design student at the Tshwane University of Technology, and one of the South African finalists in the 2008 Triumph International Inspiration Awards. Her passion for both fashion and design gives her motivation and drive as she prepares to enter this fast pace and highly competitive industry. Venter’s approach to design is with her heart leading the way – it needs to feel right. Her aim is for each garment to be a reflection of the kind of person she is, with an end result that leaves people feeling both comfortable and beautiful.

Being an extremely fussy lingerie shopper herself, the Inspiration Awards presented an ideal opportunity for her to tailor make the type of lingerie she would like to find in stores. Her design is inspired by the sweet and shy, yet sexy and seductive cartoon character Betty Boop, combined with the calmness, beauty and unpredictability of nature. The international global warming phenomenon contributed greatly to her colour selection – after all, green is the new black! Venter’s design is intended to make women feel sexy and desirable, oozing femininity and beauty. The garment makes a statement that is dramatic and mysterious. Light and delicate on the skin, Venter’s lingerie will fit like a glove.

With her eye on the prize, Venter is here to learn and grow. She hopes to take away from the Inspiration Awards further insight into the business of lingerie and the fashion industry as a whole. Her long term goal is to have her garments in all of the top lingerie stores across the world.

Venter is inspired by local designers Abigail Betz and Gavin Rajah. Betz for her simplistic, vintage designs and textured fabrics. Rajah for his stylish garments that epitomize true elegance. On the international stage, Venter looks to Roberto Cavalli for inspiration, his great use of colours and designs that make every women look and feel beautiful.