Zimbabwe Fashion Week Returns After Four-Year Hiatus
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Loading... - Kanoro Okeyo
- 09 May 2023
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Zimbabwe's premier fashion event, Zimbabwe Fashion Week (ZFW), is set to return this October after a four-year break. October is now internationally known as African Fashion Month.
Since its inception in 2009, the Zimbabwe Fashion Week Trust, a non-profit organisation founded by model-turned-entrepreneur Priscilla Chigariro, has played a significant role in advancing the careers of local designers and boosting the fashion industry's growth in Zimbabwe. The trust has celebrated the creativity of multiple fashion designers worldwide through its events and development offerings, namely Zimbabwe Fashion Week (ZFW) and Young Designer's Programme.
Over the past decade and a half, the ZFW has given young fashion designers access to local, regional, and international markets while providing them with the necessary skills to build their brands. Additionally, the trust has worked with numerous corporate brands and non-governmental organisations, amplifying each stakeholder's brand to its target audience by utilising the fashion industry's creative input.
Apart from developing the fashion and textile industries, Zimbabwe Fashion Week also aims to contribute to the development of the tourism industry. While the fashion event was previously held at various locations around Harare, this year's edition will take place at the majestic Victoria Falls, highlighting it not only as a tourist destination for safari but also as the gateway to Zimbabwe's growing visual arts and fashion industries.
According to Priscilla Chigariro, the founder and executive producer, being based in the United States opened many doors for her in the fashion industry. Chigariro stated, "I am now in the thick of the Western fashion world and have access to multiple avenues to promote African designers from our region.
Besides the runway shows, which will for the second season be produced by Johannesburg-based runway show producer Andiswa Manxiwa, a robust development program has been constructed, which will run throughout the year, helping rebuild the fashion industry from grassroots level."
This year's Zimbabwe Fashion Week will be the first without a specific theme. However, an elaborate story detailing the inspiration behind the event's new and permanent logo will serve as an ongoing theme for the event, titled Cultural Preservation. The incoming director, Marshall Mutsamwira, said their main focus this year and beyond is to not only create memorable fashion events but also to work with key stakeholders in the industry to enable the fashion industry to contribute positively to the country's GDP through the export of cultural heritage, diversity, creativity, and platforms for young Zimbabweans to actualise their creative vision and be competitive on the global market.
In conclusion, Zimbabwe Fashion Week's return this year is highly anticipated, especially with the main event taking place at one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls. One of the notable success stories from previous editions of Zimbabwe Fashion Week is Ishmael Tsakatsa, the founder and head designer for the luxurious Christian brand, Zargue'sia. In October 2021, Ishmael made history by becoming the first Zimbabwean designer to debut at Paris Fashion Week with his "Stones of Fire" Spring and Summer Collection.
