With over three decades’ experience in fashion and clothing, Joyce Chimanye has earned her stripes as a veteran of the industry.
Having witnessed the evolution, decline, and renaissance of Zimbabwean fashion over the years, Joyce Chimanye was pivotal to the formation of the Fashion Council of Zimbabwe (FCoZ). The initiative came about in November 2018, as part of Chimanye’s mandate as a board member of the Association of the Cotton Value Adders of Zimbabwe (ACVAZ).
The organization represents the interests of players in the Zimbabwean Cotton-to-Clothing value chain, and saw the need for a standalone organisation that would represent the fashion ecosystem in Zimbabwe. Thus, the Fashion Council of Zimbabwe went on to register as a Trust in March 2020, with Chimanye assuming chairpersonship of the Council.
Five years on, Chimanye has led the Council through the growing pains, reaching milestones and building connections. Notable achievements during her tenure include:
- #WEARZIM campaign — an online campaign that put a spotlight on Zimbabwean fashion brands, encouraging fashion enthusiasts to wear homegrown brands every Friday.
- Meet and Greet events — bringing together creatives across the fashion industry for networking and sharing of insights.
- Collaborations — Engaging with government, corporate sector, civil society organisations and creative initiatives to provide opportunities for fashion creatives. Worth mentioning are So Far Sounds, SADC Industrialisation Week, Edgars Fashion Extravaganza, Herald Lifestyle Fashion Show.
- Workshops and Exhibitions — hosting workshops to provide knowledge and insights to aspiring and upcoming fashion designers. Worth mentioning is the Creative Sessions series.
- Empowerment Projects — providing opportunities to local designers to make their work sustainable, while at the same time preserving tradition. The FCoZ has managed to achieve this through the Matobo Collection project, in conjunction with the Embassy of Germany.
In the spirit of true leadership, she is passing on the baton, making the announcement in a press statement released early Tuesday.
“Further to the announcement made at the Fashion Council of Zimbabwe (FCoZ) AGM 2024 which was held on 31 October 2024, I am writing to officially announce the end of my term in office the Fashion Council of Zimbabwe Chairperson,” begins the statement.
Chimanye will, however, remain in the leadership structure of the Council, offering an Oversight and Advisory role.
In the same statement, Chimanye also introduced Patience Lusengo as the incoming FCoZ Chairperson. Lusengo is a renowned model, designer and events manager; currently the director of the Miss World Zimbabwe pageant. She was part of the inaugural board of FCoZ that was appointed in 2022.
Herald Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor Tafadzwa Zimoyo will be the Vice Chairperson of the board, while Bakhar founder Yolanda Ngwenya will be shadowing the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson. Notable board members include Pfeka founder Eglet Mutengwa-Nyabvure who will be reprising her role, and cosmetics guru Jackie Mgido who will be joining the board for the first time.
Chimanye showed confidence in the new board — a carefully selected team of industry players that have worked tirelessly to build Zimbabwean fashion to where it is now.
“It has been my privilege to serve FCoZ as Chairperson and I am proud of the progress that we have made during my term in office. As FCoZ enters this new season, I am confident that our new leadership and the Board will continue to provide the strong and focused leadership that will continue to drive FCoZ forward,” concluded Chimanye’s statement.
Five years since inception, the Fashion Council of Zimbabwe has risen to become a voice for the industry at a time when fashion finds itself in a period of reinvention and renaissance.
A new age of ambitious designers, stylists and everything in-between has emerged; but there is still need for an outfit that represents all our interests to lead the way. It is, thus, in every fashion player’s interest to throw their weight behind FCoZ and its new board.
