Foreign designers to grace Zim Fashion Week

INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed designers Roberta Wagner and Nadege Cezette will grace this year's Zimbabwe Fashion Week scheduled to start on August 31 and ending on September 3.

The two designers from Germany and France respectively will display their apparels in the week-long fashion show.Apart from exhibiting their garments the two will also conduct a workshop where they will impart their knowledge to young and upcoming designers. 

Speaking at a Press conference, Cezette said she was happy to be in the country and she was looking forward to working with Zimbabwean upcoming designers. "I am very pleased to be in Zimbabwe for the first time and I hope my experience and knowledge will help the young designers their projects. I have even brought my own sewing machines that I will be using during my stay in Zimbabwe," she said. Charles Houdart, director of Alliance Francaise, said the inclusion of the foreign designers in the fashion show was aimed at bridging the gap between Zimbabwe and the leading nations in the designing industry.

"The foreign designers are here to support our fashion show and it is important since they will be able to exchange techniques with our own artistes. "This is also a chance to Zimbabwean designers to make contact with their counterparts and to have collaborations with these foreign artistes," he said. The fashion week will run under the theme "Environmental Awareness Think and Live Green" and will see designers from all over Zimbabwe showcasing their apparels. 

Priscilla Chigariro, the director and founder of the show, said in line with the theme, the materials that will be used during the fashion show will be biodegradable. "In line with this year's theme, designs that will be showcased will be made from any material that is recyclable and is environment friendly," she said. The show will also see three young top designers from the six that will exhibit their apparels at the show who would have excelled getting scholarships to study fashion and designing at Studio 05 in Johannesburg, South Africa. In addition, they will also win sewing machines and Apple iPods courtesy of the sponsors. 

Zimbabwe Fashion Week, now in its second year, seeks to promote and nurture local talent in the designing industry.Booking and tickets are now open at Alliance Francaise, Kick-start and Café Nush. The show will be held at Joina City, City Library and the Mayors' Mansion. Culled from The Herald.