Aobakwe Molosiwa will showcase his designs at the annual Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe (FWZ14) on the 25-26 October at the Barclays Sports and Social Club in Harare. Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe merges fashion, music and food into one programme. Designers, retailers, beauticians, makeup Houses, Spa’s, musicians and fine food providers take consumers on a fashion, food and music journey.
“It is always a privilege to get the opportunity to return to Zimbabwe and fly the Botswana flag high. The creative talent in Zimbabwe is something all Batswana can learn from, not to mention their brilliant work ethic,” Molosiwa said.
Asked about the inspiration, patterns and designs he will be showcasing at the event he said, “I will be showcasing a collection inspired by the chronological progression of the African woman’s daily navigation through her day. Right from the first bursts of piercing sunshine through the breaking dawn, glistening on the morning dew with glorious mini rainbows reflected inside of them. To the scorching midday sun, with bright oranges and reds melting into sultry opals and aquamarines of the early evening and eventually into the rich velvety midnight blues and blacks of the African night sky. The fabrics I am using are chiffon, satin, lace and some leteisi. And because of the diverse time range, the designs will be mostly evening wear.”
With designers fighting to stay relevant in an industry that is fraught with challenges that include the influx of imported cheap clothes which reduce demand for locally made clothes the fashion weekend seeks to design to promote and make consumers aware of what they do. Molosiwa agreed that the issue of cheap imported garments has a crippling impact on local manufacturers. “Consumers yearn to look good, and if that can happen at a fraction of what they would otherwise pay locally, then they will keep buying the imported garments. I guess without a solidly loyal clientele, one just wouldn’t survive,” he said.
One of the objectives of Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe is to present fashion from local and international designers, complemented with fine food and local music. Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe is produced by Catherine Ruze model agency, headed by Shamiso Ruzvidzo.