LOCAL designers Danayi Chapfika and Rudo Nondo joined forces in a bid to promote and accord some designers a platform to market their products.
WINSTONE ANTONIO OWN Correspondent The Fashion Collective Market (FCM), which is a collaborative project between Chapfika, head creative designer (Haus of Stone) and Nondo, creative designer (ANAIA), will be launched on September 28 at the Palm Estate in Greystone Park, Harare.
In an interview with NewsDay, Chapfika said the initiative to open FCM market is aimed at celebrating local upcoming and independent fashion designs in Zimbabwe.
“Fashion Collective Market is a market by designers for designers that seek to encourage local people to support and appreciate our own brands instead of importing clothes from other countries,” Chapfika said.
“As Zimbabwean designers, we are proud to be coming together with such an initiative and showcase our amazing fashion products to the public that will include bridal wear and safari wear, among many others.”
The launch will be held under the theme Retfro Bass Summer 2014 which Chapfika said is inspired by the late 90s fashion.
“Fashion is not about the trend, but expressing yourself. So in line with our theme, we are encouraging and pleading with those who will come through to the launch to come dressed in the 90s fashion,” Chapfika said.
“After the launch, there will be exhibitions held quarterly as we want to make it a mobile market.”
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Chapfika began her fashion journey in 2010 when she enrolled into the Fashion Design School in Johannesburg (Lisof) from which she graduated in 2012. She showcased her end of year range — Elements of Epoch at the first ever Style By Africa (SBA) Pop-Up Garden Party in December 2012. In 2012 she launched The Pre-Empting range, where she re-introduced a combination of tapestry, distressed denim and various retro silhouettes.
Nondo bemoaned the lack of sponsorship which she said was hampering fashion projects.
“As designers, we need support that enables us to grow so that we can compete with international designers from countries such as China who at the end export their products for us, but the issue of sponsorship has been a major challenge for us,” Nondo said.
“Local corporates must support and invest in fashion designing which has the potential to contribute to the country’s gross domestic product.” Nondo said designers must work together to improve the face of the fashion industry.
“As designers, we need to establish ourselves as brands within ourselves by looking at the business aspect in what we do. We need to work together and not in isolation, we should share knowledge and embrace competition as that is the only way we will improve,” she said.
“The creative industry in Zimbabwe has a lot to offer and we have a lot of extremely talented people in this country. What we need is to broaden our scope and look beyond our borders.”
Nondo said some of the designers expected to be showcasing their designs at the event include Nadine Nemimba, a bridal designer, Gwinyai Mabika, the man behind the #NDNM brand, Farida Jarida and Tanya Nefatari.
