Zimbabwe Fashion Week has entered into a new partnership with Russian investors and will in May next year launch a new project in Moscow, the Africa Art, Fashion & Food Festival, which will focus on showcasing African creative products to the Russian market.
“We have sold the Zimbabwe Fashion Week (ZFW) franchise to a group of African investors,” ZFW founder and director Priscilla Chigariro-Gessen told Zimbo Jam. She said the new investors have the capacity to take ZFW to new heights and support it.
“Unfortunately I can’t say anything about them right now. They want to make the announcement once they are ready. So as far as their plans are for the future, I can’t say.”
In order to put the Africa Art, Fashion & Food Festival ( AAFFF) together, Gessen has partnered with former Fashion Director of Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and Elle Magazines, Anna Rykova.
She has also brought in Valerie Kabov of Harare’s First Floor Gallery to curate the Art for the festival from all over Africa.
The first edition of AAFFF is slated for May 2017. It will focus on showcasing African work of art, fashion products and cuisine during self-produced international events.
“The goal of AAFFF is to open international commercial markets to Zimbabwean designers, artists and musicians so they can actually sell their products and reap the rewards of their hard work, instead of packing away their collections after yet another local fashion event,” said Gessen in a statement.
Asked, ‘Why Russia?’ Gessen, who is married to a Russian, said that the country was still largley virgin territory for the African experience. “Russia, actually because it’s one of the only countries left in the world which does not have any African products (art, fashion, music) available for purchase anywhere and yet Russians consume a lot of the high end fashion and art in the world. Russia basically has a market that has money and is very progress and in adopting new things. So it seemed like the obvious choice to me,” said Gessen.
Select Zimbabwean designers will be sent a brief and invited to submit collection proposals to participate in the Moscow event which, Gessen revealed, has already been included in coverage plans by the Russian editions of Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Elle and other fashion, Art and Travel magazines.
Gessen said she is also continuing with plans for the annual ZFW London showcase. “I just need to get things going there, although I have already laid the groundwork.”
There was no ZFW in 2016, but Chigariro launched The Sp_ce, an initiative to sell clothing by Zimbabwean designers. The Sp_ce, located at 4 Jenkinson Road, in Chisipite, represents some of the most accomplished designers in Zimbabwe, including David Alford, Rumbi Rumbi and TIR Fashion House.
Priscilla also showcases her own two labels at The Sp_ce, including Shoko Bespoke, a collection of shoes and accessories, and Chrome Knitwear, which can be purchased ready-made or be custom made to customers’ specs.
Shoko Bespoke was launched in 2015 and has since sold products to countries on every continent. Its small factory produces each product from start to finish in Harare, and enjoys great customer loyalty. Chrome Knitwear was launched in 2016 and is developing a steady following. Last but not least, Priscilla has from 2017 decided to focus on exporting Zimbabwean design and art talent to other countries.
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