The Sunday Mail
SHINSOMAN
Leisure Reporter
TOP music promoter Partson Chimbodza of Chipaz Promotions has been roped in for the Black Opal Face of Zimbabwe (Bofoz) 2015 Grand Finale at Harare International Conference Centre next month.
The 16 Bofoz 2015 finalists were picked after eight months of voting.
Black Opal Zimbabwe marketing director Tatenda Mutseyekwa unveiled the 16 ladies at the “Meet the Finalists: Media Event” last weekend at the African Affair Restaurant in Harare.
Dancehall artiste Shinsoman, who is brand ambassador for Black Opal Men’s Shaving range, provided entertainment.
This year’s Finalists are Ratidzai Changwesha, Shingai Muchenje, Diana Rupapa, Natasha Murape, Tanaka Manyuzu, Mercy Kamanura, Cynthia Mufumhe, Tuso Jumbe, Rufaro Moyo, Trish Hakata, Melody Komara, Nyasha Chitemere, Tsitsi Taruvinga, Tatenda Mugwambi, Shamiso Muradzikwa and Hazel Kurwakumire.
The winner will walk away with US$8 000, while the first and second runners-up will get US$4 000 and US$2 000, respectively, at the July 25 grand finale.
An array of local superstars will entertain at the event.
Bofoz is powered by Yolana Investments, who are the sole licensed distributors for Black Opal Cosmetics in Zimbabwe.
The Bofoz promotion seeks a local face to be the brand ambassador for the New York-based brand. Unlike most beauty pageants or promotions, there are no limitations on weight, height, marital status etc, although there is a minimum age requirement of 18 and a condition to be a resident of Zimbabwe residing in Zimbabwe. The organisers seek a face with a “goodness of fit” with the brand, and that a majority of women in Zimbabwe can relate to; and not necessarily for perfection.
The winner of the promotion then selects a charity they would like to help financially through the Bofoz Charity Initiative.
Themed “Step into the Spotlight”, Bofoz aims to bring together different elements of Zimbabwean beauty; be it arts, fashion, modelling or music to the forefront.
Voting for the grand finale will begin on Tuesday June 23 2015 at the “Bofoz Voting Party: Media Event” at the African Affair restaurant, and will end at midnight on the July 22, two days before the grand finale.
In the grand finale, SMS votes will only account for 50 percent of the final score, with a panel of independent judges accounting for 50 percent of the final score.
The panel will include one member from Team Black Opal Zimbabwe. The running of the website, which tallies votes and the back-end IT SMS voting platforms are both run by independent technology partners for transparency and efficiency. In the run up to the finale, videos will be taken documenting showcases of each finalist and published.
All finalists will go through training, makeovers, photo shoots, fashion fittings and a boot camp in preparation for the grand finale.
Tendai Farai is the reigning Bofoz and was crowned last May at a memorable event at Reps Theatre.
She is now working on her lingerie line specifically catering for the African woman, as well as a television programme on women’s initiatives.
She went to China for a course on lingerie tailoring and is currently taking a crash course on television presenting at the University of Zimbabwe whilst preparing to take an internship at an established lingerie manufacturer in the UK in June.
