Let’s be honest, ‘Zimbabwean fashion’ is a wide-ranging, hard-to-define concept.
Is it the African attire, the ‘cows came home’ aesthetic? Is it the long denim skirts and pumps, the bachi neJean? Is it the counterfeit designer wear that’s sold in the boutiques? Is it the second-hand clothes sold in thrift markets? Is it the recently introduced ‘national dress’?
Well, maybe. To each their own, right?
We here at Mcheno And More believe Zimbabwean fashion should be defined from the perspective of world fashion. Why? Because we deserve to be a part of that conversation.
Milan, New York, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Paris – anyone who is in the fashion industry in these ‘fashion capitals of the world’ will come to Harare and conclude that there is no fashion industry in Zimbabwe.
Except if they came to Old Greatermans Buiding on 17 March 2024 for Inferno’s runway debut of the Unapologetic Part II Collection.
It might have been a niche event, but the follow-up to Ropafadzo ‘Kuki’ Mapira’s Fabrik Party runway showcase gave us hope that there might be a future for Zimbabwean fashion after all.
Unapologetic Part II was a result of a never-seen-before process that we have broken down into three phases, as we bore witness to it all.
The Preparation: Organic and meticulous
After a pivotal 2023 where Kuki did everything from visual art to modelling, the 21-year-old made her blistering foray into fashion design with the launch of her brand Inferno.
The debut collection, inspired by her friends and colleagues, was titled Unapologetic; and was first introduced to the world at the eighth edition of the Fabrik Party held at Alliance Franchaise in late October.
Anyone who was in attendance will agree that they witnessed an avant-garde marvel that was only an “I wish someone would do that in Zimbabwe” before Kuki did it with Inferno.
Three months later, Kuki announced that the sequel – Unapologetic II, was to be showcased at a standalone fashion show pegged for March 17.
That was the first sign of the thought and effort poured into this excursion. A standalone show, announced forty days prior; are we in Milan?
Always one to keep her cards close to her chest, Kuki was tight-lipped about what exactly attendees were to expect at the runway show christened ‘Fragile Hearts’. But of course, behind the scenes; the work was raging on.
As with Unapologetic I, the young creative again counted on her close friends to help her prepare for the big night. She took on venerated photographer Cozy Scott for visual direction, Derek Chitowo of TSE Agency for marketing; while Panashe Inomusankosi curated the music for the show. Yesterday’s Yard co-founder Alex Chipfunde handled the bar and catering for the event; and the duo of EER creative director Ray Enders and Niasha Melhuish were in charge of the runway.
Mcheno And More got the honour of peeking behind the curtain and attending a few rehearsals of the show. One observation particularly stuck out – Kuki’s creative process is led by intuition. In executing though, she is a perfectionist who keeps iterating her idea until the reality matches her vision.
We also managed to converse with the stars of the show – the models.
There was one Rutendo Muparika, an unheralded but ambitious model who jumped at the opportunity to wear Inferno for her first ever runway show.
“A friend told me about this show and I just wanted to join because I love fashion and I love modelling. This runway show is actually going to be my first time,” she said.
We also caught up with Jacob ‘JD’ Dinha, who had already earned his stripes as a runway model when he featured for EER Fashion at the 8th edition of the Fabrik Party. However, Unapologetic II felt like a completely new experience for the 25 year-old, and rightly so.
“It feels great. Every time you’re part of a new movement, it always feels great because you feel like you’re paving the way, pioneering,” he gushed.
We also caught up with the ‘surprise act’ of the show – an RnB artist named Zohlani. The 19 year-old was preparing for what would be his first ever live performance, but he was surprisingly calm, declaring;
“I don’t feel any pressure at all. It’s my first performance but I don’t feel scared. I’m actually so hype for it.”
Having picked up music in his childhood, Zohlani first got in the booth in 2022. Two years later, he is slowly building up his discography – a unique sound that Zohlani says might just be way ahead of its time.
“When someone hears my music, they are surprised that I’m making that level of quality in Zimbabwe. I feel like Zimbabwe doesn’t have the platform for the type of music I make, but we’re definitely changing the sound,” he said.
In the context of his art, and him being part of the Inferno runway show, Zohlani concluded;
“Essentially what’s happening here is we’re bringing the American dream to Zimbabwe, and most people haven’t even caught on yet.”
The Show: Avant-garde and relatable
Time waits for no man, and the big night that everyone was working towards finally came.
In attendance were fellow designers, visual artists, diplomats, content creators, influencers, journalists, retailers – names that are defining a new reality for Zimbabwean fashion.
Kuki and team left no stone unturned in delivering a top-notch show. The set design was never-seen-before, the pieces were otherworldly, the models left no crumbs, the food was irresistible, the drinks were flowing, the vibes were immaculate.
To add icing to the cake, attendees enjoyed a rare performance from hip-hop superstar Denim Woods, who came prepared to deliver a memorable performance for the crowd.
Zohlani the surprise performance, gave a riveting performance that was only undone by some sound glitches. Regardless, for a first time, the crooner left enough of an impression for people to eagerly anticipate a second in the near future.
A set by rising DJ Pia was the perfect conclusion to the show, as the sensual sounds gave attendees the perfect background music for some much-needed conversation – an opportunity to digest what they had just witnessed.
As for the collection, Unapologetic II is more expansive than the first collection – with 21 unique pieces showcased on the runway; while five pieces were modelled by the creator herself, her close friend Panashe Inomusankosi, rapstar Denim Woods, poet Kuda Rice, and DJ Pia.
As with Unapologetic I, the collection is avant-garde at its core – exploring fabric, colour palettes and patterns that most designers shy away from. However, what makes this collection stand out is the range and versatility of the pieces.
Whether it’s an afternoon chill, a night out, a fancy dinner, or just another day in the streets – Unapologetic II has something for everyone. This is what makes Kuki and Inferno a cut above the rest – she has managed to combine experimentation and relatability in a way that has never been seen before.
On the night, we caught up with an ecstatic Ratidzo Musarurwa, one of the models who featured on the runway. Speaking of the feeling of strutting her stuff in front of the crowd, she had this to say;
“One thing about me is that attention actually gives me confidence. So, I really felt excited as I walked on the runway, and the rush just kept coming. And then when I saw my sister, I was like ‘this just got better, let me go ahead and represent the family!’”
Her sister, Panashe, was there for the show to support her younger sibling as she added yet another runway appearance to her growing portfolio.
“I’m so proud of her, as soon as she walked out, I didn’t care about anyone else, I was just focused on my little sister. She’s become the star of the family now,” she beamed.
The Aftermath: Monumental and trailblazing
After enduring gruelling preparations, and enjoying an overwhelming standing ovation; it was a perfect end to the night for the Kuki, who was” feeling good now, although there was so much pressure.”
Quizzed on how long it took to create the 26-piece collection, Kuki answered;
“I designed the collection six months ago, but I only got into production in two weeks. I work well under pressure, if I do stuff too early I will keep changing my mind and keep changing the designs.”
Unapologetic I used Kuki’s friends as the muses, whilst this collection used the relationships in Kuki’s life as the inspiration.
“Unapologetic II was based on me and the different bonds that I have with my friends and my family,” she revealed.
Of course, after pulling off such a show, the trailblazer entered the conversation of the “saviours” that everyone hopes will deliver Zimbabwean fashion out of its quagmire through their sheer talent and passion.
To her though;
“I don’t know, that sounds like a big responsibility. I wouldn’t say I don’t want to take the responsibility, but if my work is speaking volumes; then I’d gladly follow my work.”
Well she might as well take it – ear-shattering volumes were spoken at Unapologetic II.
On 17 March, Kuki excelled at benchmarking the fashion shows from the Global North that we keep seeing on our tv screens. From that perspective, of course the show was a niche event – attended by the upper echelon of a new age in Zimbabwean fashion.
In a wider context though, one might consider what happened on March 17 as a ‘nexus event’ – the marker of a new definition of what a Zimbabwean fashion show is, and how to execute it. If Zimbabwean fashion is to become globally competitive (whatever version of it), we should all take a leaf from how Kuki did it for Unapologetic II; because it ticked all the boxes of an international fashion show.
Show contempt at your own peril, for this trailblazing 21-year-old has proven that she is way ahead of the curve; at just her second step.
