Farai Simoyi to headline Zimbabwe Fashion Week

Internationally acclaimed United States based Zimbabwean fashion designer Farai Simoyi has confirmed her participation as the headline designer at the forthcoming Zimbabwe Fashion Week which will be held at Palm Estate in Harare from 3 to 6 September.

Over the years Simoyi has emerged as a symbol of international fashion and development. Industry players and fashion enthusiasts at Zimbabwe Fashion Week will be treated to the latest collection from Simoyi's self-titled label, Farai, on Saturday September 5.

Launched in September 2010, Simoyi describes her label as a bohemian lifestyle brand that captures her personal style, essence and experiences. It reflects her passion for Africa, women, and young women entrepreneurs and it is for anyone passionate about life and who lives in the moment.

The highly esteemed fashion designer has made a name for herself designing and consulting for celebrity fashion houses around the globe. Simoyi is the designer behind the pop star Nicki Minaj’s fashion line which is sold exclusively in the United States.

In an interview recently, she said she was looking forward to returning home and sharing her experiences as ZFW’s headline designer.

“I have been a huge fan of the Zimbabwe Fashion Week platform since it first started so I am looking forward to coming home as this year’s headline designer,” said Simoyi.

Commenting on how the Zimbabwe fashion industry fits in with global trends, Simoyi said there was a need for all to support each other and show the world the talent and the quality of product the country has to offer.

She said, “The Zimbabwean fashion Industry is growing and developing thanks to a group of individuals who have a love for fashion and an entrepreneurial spirit. From the ZFW platform, to fashion magazines, to e-commerce sites, and designers that are opening themselves to the business of fashion, Zimbabwe has a bright future in changing the way we view its fashion industry. I believe the support begins on a local scale through producing locally, selling locally and buying locally.”

Simoyi is passionate about developing and inspiring emerging fashion designers. Her focus on the development of global fashion involves touring the world to speak on fashion panels such as Adiree, a Luxury Africa Fashion and Beauty Panel that is hosted by the Fashion Institute of Technology.

“I enjoy working with emerging designers to help them turn their brands into fully fledged businesses and fashion houses that employ other young entrepreneurs. I am especially excited for my mentorship session with the young designers that will be showcasing at ZFW this year,” she said.

Farai was recently featured on the pages of Forbes Magazine, where her work designing for the Nicki Minaj line was described as “a beautiful combination of a lot of hard work and big rewards.” She has also been featured in Essence Magazine as "Fashion's Next Best Designer" and spotlighted on Fashion Bomb Daily, Clutch Mag, Sahara TV and Time Out NY.

To learn more about the Zimbabwe Fashion Week, please visit zimfashionweek.com