GENUINE: Tell us about your early days in the fashion industry.
DUKE: I joined FEP, a fashion design company which helps up-and-coming designers in 2000. Because of them, I was able to make garments for my customers. I worked there for a year before opening my own studio.

GENUINE: Had you always wanted to be a fashion designer?
DUKE: No. I had intended doing Video Technology but because of lack of funds at home, I ended up doing another course, which I later dropped.

GENUINE: What type of style defines your label?
DUKE: My style is fusion mixed with electric, coupled with elements of ethnic afro-chic.

GENUINE: What was the first item of clothing you made after learning to sew?
DUKE: I made a pair of pants for myself!

GENUINE: Over the years, which competitions have put you on the map?
DUKE: I won in the Design Durban competition, I participated in the MTN Durban 2008, the Radar Fashion Show and the 2009 East-Meets-West Durban designer show.

GENUINE: What inspires you?
DUKE: Two things - my love for beautiful clothes and looking good!

GENUINE: Who inspires you?
DUKE: Locally, it is Craig Native. Internationally, designer John Galliano does it for me!

GENUINE: Are we there yet, in the fashion stakes?
DUKE: Not at all! For as long as we lack financial support and business knowledge, it will take us a long time to reach international standards. While we may be very creative, we still lack serious business acumen and this is our biggest downfall.

GENUINE: GENUINE: Are fashion shows worth it for you?
DUKE: Yes they are because our clothes are seen by hundreds of people. My concern though is that there usually aren’t enough fashion buyers at these shows.

GENUINE: GENUINE: Does it pay to be a fashion designer?
DUKE: It does. Since I have a regular clientele, I am not strained financially. But I do feel the pinch when it comes to fashion shows because usually, the people who benefit more are the models and the organizers. It is sad that we sometimes put together excellent fashion shows and do not get paid a cent! I feel we are being exploited...

GENUINE: GENUINE: Are we slaves to fashion?
DUKE: To me, its not a question of being enslaved by fashion. It is something which happens naturally. While we need to cover our bodies, we also need to look good. So fashionable clothes make us look good and uplift us, making us feel good. Fashion also allows us to express ourselves without saying a word.

GENUINE: GENUINE: Five years from now?
DUKE: I would like to open an institution for emerging fashion designers, where I will be able to give them the tricks of the trade and help them blend into the system. I would also like to venture into the international market because I know that my label will fit perfectly there.

GENUINE: GENUINE: What does it take to be successful?
DUKE: It takes dedication, absolute commitment and a whole-hearted, undying love for fashion.

GENUINE: GENUINE: What brand legacy have you established for your label?
DUKE: Over the years, people have associated my label with quality workman-ship and absolute exclusivity. That is how I want Duke to be known – as a label that is all about quality and class.