South African content creator and activist Dominic Zaca has opened up about the personal reason behind their highly discussed 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July look—after online critics claimed the outfit wasn’t aligned with this year’s official theme, “Country Allure – Release Your Spirit.”
The event’s prompt asked racegoers to channel country-inspired style through a modern, high-fashion approach. But once the star-studded night wrapped, Dominic’s ensemble quickly became a flashpoint online, with some users arguing the styling felt too basic and didn’t fully capture the brief.
Quick facts
- Dominic Zaca faced social media backlash over their 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July outfit.
- The official theme for the event was “Country Allure – Release Your Spirit.”
- Dominic said the look was inspired by a traumatic experience at the previous Durban July.
- They alleged they were assaulted by a former partner and that their pearls were taken from them.
- This year’s outfit was designed to symbolize reclaiming power and continuing healing.
In the aftermath of the debate, Dominic posted an emotional video to clarify that the clothing carried far more than surface-level aesthetics. They explained that the outfit was rooted in something deeply painful from last year—an experience they said marked the first time they were subjected to abuse in a relationship.
Dominic described how, during the 2025 Durban July, they were dressed by Indoni Fashion House, with pearls placed on both sides of their chest. They then alleged that while wearing the dress, the abuse began—along with the moment they said they will never forget: hearing the sound of the pearls coming loose and dropping to the ground.
“I will never forget hearing the sound as he was abusing me, the sound of my pearls from the dress falling onto the ground… making the tuk tuk tuk sound as they rolled across the hotel room floor,” Dominic recalled.
They added that after the incident, the man left in their Uber to keep enjoying the celebrations, while Dominic remained behind—trying to recover physically and emotionally. For Dominic, the memory stayed with them, and the return to the Durban July this year became a chance to confront it head-on.
Dominic said the invitation to attend this year’s event with the Chinese vehicle brand Omoda became the moment they could reclaim the story. When Omoda reached out with the plan to go to Durban July, Dominic responded, “Let’s go to the Durban July,” explaining to the brand that they had no idea what it would mean in terms of healing.
Dominic said they understood the theme’s message and fully appreciated it, but insisted the outfit wasn’t meant to “compete” for the best interpretation of the dress code. Instead, they framed the styling as a personal act of recovery—choosing to celebrate restoration after trauma rather than aiming for fashion approval.
“I wanted to wear my pearls again because this time, that man was not there to remove them from me. He was not there to take them from me; he was not there to break them,” Dominic said.
They also referenced how the look was constructed with intention. Pearls were draped across the body, while tassels at the hem were designed to echo the kind of tassels seen on cowboy leather jackets—details Dominic said weren’t accidental, but symbolic.
Dominic explained that each element of the outfit represented reclaiming strength and restoring what they said had been taken away. They described the dress as a form of healing in motion, stating that wearing it again meant returning to the moment with power instead of fear.
“The dress I was wearing yesterday was me healing because the last time I was here, someone took my pearls away from me,” Dominic said.
Looking back on the end of the evening, Dominic shared that getting back to the hotel with every pearl still intact carried more meaning than any reaction to the outfit online. For them, it wasn’t about whether strangers thought it matched the theme—it was about what the theme allowed them to do emotionally.
“It wasn’t just the dress, and I don’t care about your theme, I was here to heal me,” Dominic added.
To close the video, Dominic directed a final message toward the person they alleged harmed them, saying, “He moves on now, whoever he is and whomever he is with, I hope he doesn’t break your pearls. It took me a year to fix mine.”
Since posting, Dominic’s explanation has reshaped the conversation. Many social media users have expressed support, praising Dominic for turning a painful chapter into a powerful moment of healing and resilience.
