Meet our self-proclaimed shy guy, ELLE Rising Star Design Award in association with Mr Price finalist and final year student at the Design Academy of fashion in Cape Town, Nicholas Coutts here:

If your collection had a theme song, what would it be?

Cellphones Dead by Beck

One thing we need to know about you as a designer?

I won’t stop untill it’s done!

‘My collection embraces luxe textures in combination with simple silhouettes. It’s about contrast in direct opposites. The fabrication and effortless comfort exudes timeless elegance.’

I can’t start my day without...

A banana and peanut smoothie!

You are currently obsessed with?

Daft Punk – always have been and always will be!

Name five celebs (dead or alive) who you would most like to dine with?

Blondie, Cara Delevingne, Iggie Pop, Marc Jacobs and Mariacarla Boscono

(Wow – what a table – we’d like to be there too!)

Name one designer you would most like to meet?

Rick Owens

Rick Owens Fall 2013

If you could dress any celeb for a red carpet event, who would it be?

Alice Dellal

My first memory of fashion is.....

I can’t say I rememeber although Madonna certainly made an impression on me when I watched her performing American Pie on MTV when I was nine!

My own style is .......

Sporty vintage

Fashion moment in a film you are obsessed with?

Uma Thurman’s yellow jumpsuit in Kill Bill

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Cut your cloth according to your means

Who else made it into the top eight? Meet our ELLE Rising Star Design Award 2013 in association with Mr Price finalists here.

Images: W Magazine, supplied and IMDb and Cindy Taylor