If Zimbabwean fashion itself is hard to define, imagine trying to define Zimbabwean avant-garde. Avant-garde fashion is a term used to describe a type of fashion that is characterized by its bold, experimental, and often unconventional designs.
In the Zimbabwean context, fashion in itself can be considered ‘bold and experimental’; which is why most people argue on which brands and what clothing pieces fall under ‘avant-garde’.
Perhaps the closest to ‘pure’ avant-garde in Zimbabwe is SEXƧOUNDS AƧYLUM, and Bulawayo’s Nobunaga is the masterful architect behind this burgeoning brand. But, as with most creative geniuses, he has been quite the recluse. For those who have been fortunate enough to witness his genius, one can tell Nobunaga’s creative process is more aspirational than reactionary — always the trailblazer, never one to follow the trend. He aims to out-do his own imagination, creating never-before-seen pieces that only he can conjure up.
If you were at the Fabrikans Convention in October 2024, surely you remember a brand whose grand exit came in a coffin, out of which celebrated model and stylist Bluesmoke emerged in an outerworldly piece that left the crowd in awe. That was SEXƧOUNDS. If you also remember, it was Nobunaga who won the Designer’s Marathon that was sponsored by Pacific Cigarettes Company.
As part of Nobunaga’s reward for taking the honours, Pacific announced that it would be releasing branded merchandise designed by the creative virtuoso; for both its employees and customers. For most, that was one of the high points of the Fabrikans Convention – corporates finally giving creatives the opportunities they deserve.
Alas! Almost a year later, nothing has materialised; and up until today there hasn’t been any explanation or official communication concerning the planned release.*
This is in spite of the fact that Nobunaga had prepared himself to deliver, revealing in this long-ranging sitdown with Mcheno And More that he had codenamed the collaboration ‘The Pashifikku Project’. Even the designer himself is baffled by Pacific’s conduct in this fiasco, but he believes this is typical of corporates and their prejudice towards young creatives.
“Building a bridge for fashion enthusiasts, designers or any stakeholders with the corporate world is always going to be hard. You’ll be treading on a tight rope. Most corporates lack trust and belief in the ability of the artist, which is funny considering how all clothes were made by man or a machine made by man, meaning that the very same standards could be met if one is given the adequate tools to do so,” he explained.
Given the way he has been mistreated thus far, will this collaboration ever come to fruition? Nobunaga answered, “We don’t know, as there is a lot of things which happened behind closed doors which need to be addressed.” However, he expressed his desire to see through the collaboration saying, “We don’t believe in burning bridges, we can always resolve what we have and then take it from there.”
Regardless of whether the Pashifikku Project sees the light of day or not, Nobunaga has learnt a crucial lesson about collaboration of any kind.
“If a collaboration is in line with the house, its vision, what we believe or what we’re trying to accomplish then we are all for it. We don’t believe in just doing collaborations for fun or as a means to an end,” he said.
That’s enough reminiscing. As our conversation wades to what is to come, one thing is clear — Pacific’s snub has done little to dissuade the designer from his passion. If anything, it has energized him.
Unfazed, he hosted a show at StopOver Restaurant in April. He went on to showcase a lowkey (by SEXƧOUNDS standards) ‘pre-collection’ at the SSFabrik Party held in Zambia on June 9 – a taste of what was to come.
Just over a month later, the Skeyi and Strobo collective revealed the flyer for the first ever edition of SSFabrikparty Bulawayo, and behold — it was SEXƧOUNDS that was announced as the headline brand for the show. The Bulawayo edition is a departure from previous Fabrik Parties whereby a number of brands would showcase.
A walk down memory lane will reveal that Skeyi and Strobo and SEXSOUNDS have always had sort of a symbiotic relationship — they’re both a part of each other’s history. The brand’s first ever runway showcase, SHADESOFBLACK, was at the seventh edition of the Fabrik Party held in December 2022 at Greatermans Building.
This year, SEXƧOUNDS was there for the first ever Fabrik Party beyond the country’s borders. And now, the first Fabrik Party in Bulawayo, the first solo showcase at the Fabrik Party, SEXƧOUNDS’ first full collection of 2024; happens all at once. And Nobunaga couldn’t hide his excitement at this watershed moment for both parties involved.
“Being the first to headline (SSFabrik Party Bulawayo) is crazy. This is the same platform we put out our first collection, and a few years later we’re being given the platform to put out the vision to the nation, on a wider scale,” he beamed.
Being the first brand to headline a Fabrik Party speaks volumes of Nobunaga’s talent and clout, but it almost means nothing to the ambitious designer. He would rather focus on the work than be drawn into meaningless comparisons in an infant industry.
“My position in the fashion scene in Bulawayo is not something which I think about. I believe the work speaks for itself – past the social media posts, quality and integrity of the product. As a nation we haven’t reached a place where we can have a GOAT Designer and GOAT Creative Director conversation but we’re slowly getting there and in five years when the nation has this conversation who knows where they will rank thee(sic),” expressed Nobunaga.
The runway show will be the debut of SEXƧOUNDS’ full collection titled A ✞ ✞ ✞ A. Nobunaga is planning to showcase over thirty pieces on the runway, and he plans to “go beyond fabric.”
But it hasn’t been smooth sailing. While the event was initially scheduled for August 10, the SADC Summit scuppered the organisers’ plans, pushing back the dates to September 7. With just a week to the show, the designer finds himself battling financial hiccups and collaborator pullouts that have heightened the pressure. To top it all off, a bulk of the pieces that were supposed to be showcased got stolen in transit.
“Truth of the matter is all preparations before a show are hell. I come from a background whereby my father always said pressure is self-inflicted but the same pressure makes diamonds. If sketches would be acceptable, I would present those,” he revealed.
He is, however, adamant he will deliver, saying; “As always we work till the last possible minute to the best of our abilities and we are confident that we will bring forth new ideas which will make an experience which the attendees will not forget.”
As one of the few designers who are in it for the long haul, Nobunaga rounded up our conversation with an ambitious vision for the industry; complete with a tongue-in-cheek description of the present reality that Zimbabwean fashion finds itself in.
“In five years, the industry must have become more developed, feeding the artists and creators who are constantly putting out new work; and not the ones who are currently gatekeeping funds while making subpar wedding dresses and calling it ‘high-end fashion,” he concluded.
And thus, the first ever edition of SSFabrikparty Bulawayo is pivotal in two aspects – for SEXƧOUNDS, it is pen which the brand will use write to itself into Zimbabwean fashion history; for Nobunaga, it is his redemption song. After enduring a torrid year where he was betrayed by corporates, copied by wannabes, and doubted by critics; the anime fan is ready for his ultimate ‘Domain Expansion’. One thing is for sure, what he will deliver on September 7 is beyond your wildest expectations.
Be sure to attend the SSFabrikparty Bulawayo on Saturday September 7 at Alliance Fràncaise — 61 Heyman Road. Advance tickets are available for $5 at the following locations:
Entry is $10 at the gate.
- * The Pacific Cigarettes Company did not respond to questions posed by this reporter in preparing this article.
