19/10/2026
Naemi Ndjuluwa Shares her Story
How It Feels Winning the House of Poulton Incubator Masterclass.
As a young, aspiring and emerging fashion designer, I must say I am very grateful and very fortunate for this opportunity.
To have been chosen as part of the Top 12 from many applicants meant so much to me on its own. It set me apart and showed that there was something there, and I had to make it work no matter what. Being in the competition felt like going back to fashion school. Even though it was a competition, I started to see it differently. We had so much to learn over the whole month of August. Different experts came in, and it was incredibly informative throughout.
The journey was beautiful, yet tough, because I had to make sure that with each round I gave it my all. The stakes were very high and anyone could have won it. I saw myself move from the Top 12 to the Top 8, and then to the Top 4. As the Top 4, we had a live competition at the CST Expo, which was something new entirely. Imagine having to make outfits in the open, where hundreds of people are passing by every minute and asking you questions because a stranger is sitting at a sewing machine stitching. It was nerve wracking, but I pulled through and prevailed.
It feels good to have won, knowing it is something I worked for and that is well deserved. It could have been anyoneβs win, all the other designers gave it their all. We all made beautiful garments.
What this experience showed me more than anything is that our fashion industry has a very promising future.
In short, I just want to thank the House of Poulton and the CST Expo for making this possible for us, as well as the Creative Institute and the College of the Arts for providing their facilities, and MTC Windhoek Fashion Week and all the other sponsors too.