South African Local Designer Takes Fashion To Italy

With a passion for fashion and a remarkable eye for detail, the award-winning fashion designer and creative director, Eli Ball, is living out his childhood dream and will soon be jetting off to Italy to take up a Haute Couture Internship.

The former Wentworth resident explained how he got into the fashion industry. “It started from humble beginnings. I come from a family where there was always clothing production and handwork going on and watching the Forresters on ‘The Bold and Beautiful’ tv show, seeing them creating their collections inspired me to take up the career,” he said.

Ball was determined to follow his passion and when he completed his matric at Umbilo Secondary School, he studied clothing design at La Moda Academy of Fashion and website design at Vega-Fashion Branding and Communication. In 2013, he opened his own successful fashion design company – ‘Made in Africa’ ltd.

“It was my dream come true. I followed what moved me inside from a young age and I now have my own brand through which I am able to express myself,” he added.

Speaking about his achievements, Ball said, “My last award was from the Durban Fashion Fair held in August last year. I was selected as one of the top three interns and was one of 10 designers who jetted off to Italy for a two month internship. While in Rome, I was offered a Haute Couture Internship, which I will be taking up later this year.”

Ball further added, “It was an electrifying and nerve-wrecking experience, especially during the runway show to a live audience. I was backstage as the show was going on, watching it from a monitor, and when I heard the crowds’ reaction, a deep down a sense of gratitude came over me. By the time I did the great designer walk, I was on a high. When the models were walking down the runway one behind the other, I saw my collection at its best and it gave me a sense of appreciation for my talents.”

South Africa’s fashion industry is going global and Ball said there are great times ahead for hard-working designers. “I have noticed that as a designer you need to be an individual and you need to create and follow your own style. We do need more creative designers in our community especially to incorporate our diverse ‘African culture’ into designs, as our culture is more celebrated abroad than here,” he said. “My advice for the community is to always strive for excellence, live out your dream and don’t be easily influenced by bad circumstances. All dreams are achievable with hard work and dedication,” he said.

Ball is currently putting together a Spring/Summer16 Collection which will be showcased at South African Fashion Week in Johannesburg in April and is also working on an Autumn/Winter17 Collection which will be showcased at the Durban Fashion Fair in August this year.