2 minute read
OUR ALUMNI
by Softcopy
Fashion alumna’s braille designs cater for the visually impaired
WAHEEDA PETERS
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Fashion alumna and designer, Balini Naidoo, started her own brand of braille designs. Now based in Saldanha Bay, Naidoo completed her Bachelor of Technology Degree in Fashion and Textile Design at DUT and graduated in 2017 cum laude.
Naidoo’s idea of braille designs came from having a family member who is visually impaired, making her aware of the many struggles that the unsighted faced. She said that some of these difficulties include daily clothing identification and clothing choices made with assistance.
“I started researching how I can design a system for the blind to assist them in becoming more self-reliant and independent when choosing clothes. My designs, which come in muted colours, help visually impaired identify the colour, size, wash care instructions and style description of a garment, which is printed onto it. This also makes it easier for people who are visually impaired to have some independence, for example when choosing what to wear on a daily basis,” she said.
DUT Fashion alumna and fashion designer Balini Naidoo specialises in braille designs.
She stated that her range of clothing gives visually impaired people the dignity of choosing their own fashion sense and what they feel comfortable and good in. Also, Naidoo added that a percentage of all her profit of her braille clothing is donated to the Cape Town Blind Society.
Naidoo’s creativity got her vast recognition for her designing skills. She was chosen as one of the Top 10 designers for the Society of Dyers and Colourists 2015 competition. In 2016, she was placed in the top 25 Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Awards. Naidoo was chosen to showcase her BTech concept at the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives class of 2018. “I am also a Goalkeeper for the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation 2019,” she said proudly.
Another exciting chapter for her was the opening of her own business in April 2019 called Balini Pty Ltd. The core product of her business is the braille clothing with the braille identification system. However, she stressed that this does not limit the company from exploring any other market with regards to the fashion industry.
“The braille identification system is also available for sale to retailers under trademark,” she said.
To find out more on her braille designs, email: balininaidoo@yahoo.com
