The Sunday Mail
Takudzwa Chihambakwe
AFTER a shaky start last year, Harare Fashion Week (HFW) is back in the mix with another highly anticipated fashion show slated for this Saturday, June 2.
The Sunday Mail Leisure spoke to HFW director, Munyaradzi Chihungwa, who revealed what fashionistas can look out for ahead of their event.
“HFW is back showcasing the work of African fashion designers by way of runway modelling and post show publications,” said Chihungwa.
“This June we will have a winter fashion showcase running under the theme ‘Pride’. This is in preparation for the upcoming winter season. Fashion is very much seasonal, hence we have put our show at a time when those who are fashion conscious can be guided by our very own African fashion creatives,” he added.
While the full list of designers showcasing at the event is yet to be published, Chihungwa revealed that seasoned designers such as Jenika Shah of Moi Amara, Petrease Muzerengwa of Petrease and Kudakwashe Chihungwa of KudaSeven will be showcasing at the winter show.
The optimistic director revealed that there has been some growth within his organisation compared to when they staged their inaugural show last year at Sam Levy’s Village.
“There has been growth as far as our preparations are concerned due to involvement of professionals in the fashion industry. You will notice a more refined showcase as a result of this.
“Another area we expect to see growth is in our crowd, as well as our models. Our casting call has been responded to overwhelmingly hence creating a wider selection pool which equals statistically to higher quality models.
“Last year was our first show, we pulled through but we noted a number of areas that needed improvement. First area of concern was the venue, we are finalising on an agreement that will see us at a much more spacious venue that allows for a smooth movement of our models,” he highlighted.
Chihungwa also revealed that technical elements such as lighting will be improved this time around.
He explained: “We are looking to improve our lighting set up. It is a major component with regards to the visual appeal of our garments. We are better focused and this is going to be without a doubt a stellar fashion showcase. We are Harare Fashion Week, we are Zimbabwe’s premier fashion showcase.”
In the midst of the glitz and glamour, HFW will be running a competition.
“We have a new initiative we are introducing which is the avant-garde designer competition. Designers will be tasked to make an avant-garde outfit matching our theme and a panel of judges will select the winning outfit and the designer gets a prize.”
HFW will be back with another show this summer as they always want to give designers a platform to guide fashion enthusiasts on what to wear each season. Harare Fashion Week was created after a realisation that the local fashion industry is lacking exposure.
