In July this year, ELLE and BlackBerry® launched the first competition of its kind in South Africa. The prize? A career as a street-style blogger. By the closing date, 296 bloggers had responded to the tight initial brief for entries. From there, 18 were selected and given a further assignment that will determine the eight finalists whose blogging and social media skills will be tested until the day the winner is announced.
The reasons for the stringent judging process tie in with the reasons for the competition itself. Jackie Burger, ELLE’s editor, says: “We wanted to find not only the best young fashion blogger out there, but the one who really has a point of view that connects with ELLE’s philosophy that there is no style without substance. The prize was therefore designed to give the winner everything possible to make a career in this competitive and fast-changing industry. Our hope is that this will ultimately help grow the next generation of fashion writers in South Africa.”
Photographer Ed Suter heads up the judging panel that consists of Jackie Burger, ELLE’s editor; Jenna McArthur, ELLE’s online editor; Ulanova Visser, Marketing Director South Africa; and Judy Smith, Head of Retail Marketing South Africa at BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM). Suter’s streetstyle credentials were sealed earlier this year with the release of Sharp Sharp, his book on South African streetstyle. The five will have the responsibility of deciding who will win the prize: a seven-month contract with ELLE, including a R10 000 per month stipend and all the BlackBerry resources to perform the role of Style Reporter, including a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet and a BlackBerry® smartphone. In addition to regular exposure in ELLE and on the digital and social media platforms of ELLE and BlackBerry, the winner will receive a trip to a leading international fashion week and the opportunity to meet a top international fashion blogger.
The large number of entries, despite the hard work each entry required, exceeded both parties’ expectations. ‘But then again,’ said Burger, “ELLE is the leading fashion magazine in the world – and this is an opportunity to become a part of it.” As far as BlackBerry is concerned, Visser called the association with ELLE “a terrific success”.
The eight finalists will be announced on ELLE.co.za during the second week of October online and the winner will be announced at the ELLE Style Blog Party on 21 November in Johannesburg. The event will be attended by 400 guests that will celebrities and members as well as ELLE readers. Ticket sales for this headline event will open on 9 October on ELLE.co.za.
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