Various fashion designers displayed their “out of this world” outfits that they will be showcasing at the upcoming Hollywoodbets Durban July, during the Gateway’s Hollywoodbets Durban July Preview show at the Gateway shopping centre on Friday. (Image: Courtesy of Gateway Theatre of Shopping)

Ken Tweddell, the former Gold Circle Events Marketing manager, is behind the Hollywoodbets Durban July theme very year and he revealed how he arrived at this year’s theme “Out Of This World”.   

He said, “Every year it is becoming more and more difficult, I think I have done about 25 themes. I was just looking for something extraordinary and I put the word ‘extraordinary’ down and mulled over different interpretations of that word and eventually came up with ‘Above And Beyond’ which eventually morphed into ‘Out Of This World’. And it’s a great title, Hollywoodbets being the sponsor with the stars on their logo. I never intended it to embrace that, but it just happened.”

The fashions are sure to be “out of this world” because as Ken says the fashions are “different” every year. 

He said, “I look at some of the fashions every year and say how did they interpret it like that, but that is the creative ability of the designer to interpret it the way they want to interpret it.”

Ken uses his own creative ability to devise a poem about the theme every year and below is this year’s poem:

OUT OF THIS WORLD

The heavens at night,
Purple skyglow, almost black.
The full moon so bright,
Wispy clouds seem laidback.

The planets in deeper space,
Vista pin-pricked by stars.
Spot one with an amber glow,
Could that be Mars?

Other planets out there,
Inspiringly colourful too.
Your imagination will run wild,
Focus on one that suits you.

Now come down to Earth,
Fashion, fun and entertainment,
And the latest equine millionaire.

The Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event.

A B O V E & B E Y O N D