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Mushaninga’s SOS to local firms

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FORMER model and Zim Gossip Models agency founder, Mercy ‘Catwalk’ Mushaninga (pictured), says growth of the local modelling industry is being hindered by lack of support from the corporate world that largely frowns upon women’s empowerment.

FORMER model and Zim Gossip Models agency founder, Mercy ‘Catwalk’ Mushaninga (pictured), says growth of the local modelling industry is being hindered by lack of support from the corporate world that largely frowns upon women’s empowerment.

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA

Mushaninga told NewsDay Life & Style last week that although the tourism industry has often chipped in with some support, local corporates could do more so that it becomes competitive on the global stage and produce more models that can make international impact.

“The lack of cooperates who believe in women empowerment has affected our industry a lot, we are happy that our Tourism industry has supported us in a big way, but it still needs supporting cooperates to sponsor and mould us to be the best like what South Africa does,” she said.

Mushaninga said her recent experiences in South Africa demonstrated to her how corporate support could be harnessed for the growth of modelling.

“Our fashion industry has the ability to attract tourism in the country. I was in South Africa recently attending the Miss South Africa pageant and I was impressed by their production because the pageant itself empowers the girl child, big corporates sponsor pageants and partner with them, which, however, most Zimbabweans have not taken seriously,” she said.

Mushaninga, who is also the licence holder of Miss Tourism Harare Metropolitan, and other three provinces and founder of Miss Curvy Africa — a pageant for bigger women — said there was need to develop world-class models from Zimbabwe from all modelling categories.

“A world class model is a model that can be accepted on a world stage or catwalks. Models have different categories which include pageantry models, fashion models, commercial models, promotional models and classic models,” she said.

“However, I am happy that the world is now considering curvy models on global stages and as Zimbabwe we need to improve and support models of all sizes to reach that level.”

Mushaninga added that she was set to host the first Miss Petite Zimbabwe in October this year.

And to improve the industry, she promised to host other categories that have been made popular in other countries, but have not been considered in the country.

Mushaninga is credited for grooming a good number of models who have made it to prestigious modelling showcases in Zimbabwe and across the globe, including former Miss Zimbabwe, Malaika Mushandu.

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