Abstract
Fashion designers are an important part of the fashion system. Without fashion designers, there would not be fashion to start with. South African fashion designers take part in South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows. However, there is scant research on fashion competition-based reality TV shows, let alone South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows. Prior to this study, it was not discussed in the available literature whether these shows harmed or enhanced the post-competition careers of fashion designers. Thus, the impact of South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows on the post-competition careers of contestant fashion designers, and the consequent role of the shows in the local fashion system is presented in this qualitative study.
The study married Rashid’s economic, social, and environmental impact constructs with Kawamura’s
theory of the fashion designer playing an important role in the maintenance, reproduction and dissemination of fashion within the fashion system in order to frame the analysis of the impact of South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows on the contestants' post-participation careers, and the role of such shows in the local fashion system. Five former contestant fashion designers (including some winners) of three South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows, namely The Intern by David Tlale, Raw Silk and Project Runway SA were interviewed. Therefore, to analyse the five interview transcripts, the Qualitative Content Analysis method was used.
The Qualitative Content Analysis revealed the positive and negative impacts of South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows on the post-competition careers of the contestant fashion designers who hold a profession that plays a major role in the fashion system; thereby revealing the role of such shows in the local fashion system. Although the role of these shows in the system is determined through the impact on the post-competition careers of the designers, it might not be the only role of the shows in the system. As such, discovering the other roles, if there are any, would be part of future research.
Nonetheless, South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows were found to halt the contribution of some fashion designers to the fashion system post-competition, thereby reducing the rate of fashion reproduction and dissemination and risking the ensuring of the existence of fashion over time, as fashion and the fashion system are about change. On the contrary, some designers contributed more or continued to contribute to the system due to their participation in these reality TV shows. The fame and celebrity status provided by the shows translates into the ability to contribute to the system through at least fashion reproduction. Similarly, the benefits of participation in the
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shows such as lessons, equipment, funds, and opportunities, enable the designers to create the next fashion idea to stir the maintenance, reproduction and dissemination of fashion. As such the South African fashion competition-based reality TV shows have both a negative and positive role to play in the local fashion system.