Runways, lights, music, prints, fabrics, models and a whole lot of GLAMOUR! Zimbabwe Fashion week is here and Harare will erupt with the crème de la crème of chic and style. Zimbabwe’s premiere and leading Fashion event is taking control of Sunshine City with its 4th edition of Zimbabwe Fashion Week.  The event is set to run from 25th September to 28th September at the Harare City Library. From its interesting choice of a venue, the coming days are set to be fashion and fun filled!

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The popular fashion week is kicking off with its exclusive and trendy cocktail party on Wednesday 24th September. The official invite only cocktail party is the welcoming and launch event of the  prestigious Fashion Week. The who is who of Zimbabwean fashion will be in attendance and the event is known for its glamour and elite guests. Fashion Week, day 1 will start off at 2 pm on Thursday 25th September at the Harare city Library which is home to Fashion Week. The afternoons of the week will include fashion exhibitions and a fashion passage showcasing local and international design collections and accessories. The afternoons will be the perfect opportunity to enjoy the work on exhibition.

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Fashion Week Team at Work

When the sun goes down, the fashion runway lights up! The evenings will  be where all the action is  with fashion showcases from local to international designers. Living up to its theme, “Afrocentrica”, the runway will feature proudly African designs. Local designers that will be showcasing are Joyce Chimanye, Rumbie by Rumbie, Faith Wear and Alice Knuth. Regionally, I cannot wait to watch East African Fashion royalty, Mustafa Hassanali’s Showcase on Friday, 26th September. The week of fashion will be closed by renowned South African designer, Thula Sindi on Saturday 27th September. Raah by Rahima Mohamad will also be a must see show as the London based Zimbabwean designer has made waves since her debut collection this year at Africa Fashion Week London 2014.

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Mustafa Hassanli shares a moment with Naomi Cambell on the runway

The Young Designers Competition is also one of my favorite parts of the week. Fresh and new talent is always appreciated and exciting exposure for some of the hottest new designers in the Zimbabwean industry. Famous fashion gurus, Simon and Jen Deiner have played an important creative role in previous Zimbabwean Fashion Weeks and we will be anxiously awaiting the coming days to see what the innovative duo have come up with. Priscilla Chigariro-Gessen, Zim Fashion Week founder earlier in the year at the July press briefing highlighted that we could expect better lighting, stage design and creative work.

Finally, it will be exciting to not only see the fantastic designs, fabrics, style and prints. The models showcasing these designs are a must note and it will be a great opportunity for upcoming models to showcase their struts and looks which could also land them modeling gigs out the country.  It was confirmed in August, Game of Thrones Russian actor, Yuri Kolokolinkov will be gracing the Zimbabwean fashion runway. This would definitely be some eye candy and extra fabulosity on the Zim runway.  Fashion week ends on 28th September with the ZFW Fashion awards where style icons, photographers, bloggers and young designers are awarded for their efforts.

We are looking forward to a fashionable week ahead and fashion events running smoothly. I will be keeping an eye on time, creativity, designs and all the action happening over the coming days. Here is to fashion and a trendy 3 days.