Intwasa Arts Festival to provide platform for home grown fashion

This article was first published on ZimboJam.com

Organisers of the Intwasa fashion show 2014, the Intwasa Arts Festival and Hunnar Management Agency will this year host another exclusive fashion show. The fashion show will be held during the festival at the AMTEC Showroom on RG Mugabe/12^th Ave in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on Saturday, 26 September 2015. 

Models at The Intwasa Fashion Show 2014

Last years' show was both beneficial to both the organisers and the participants. It was an eye opener to all stakeholders involved. Edgars Carousel presented the most outstanding designers an experience they had never been exposed to, for which it was a first of its kind koBulawayo. From the 12 designers who participated in last year’s fashion show, the 3 outstanding designers, Zandile Dube (ZAH Designs), Nkululeko Ncube (Ara Kani), and Sidumiso Tshuma (Shadow by Sidumiso) were selected for a 3 months attachment with Edgars Carousel.

They impressed during their attachment, and Edgars Carousel eventually offered 3 other designers from the 12 participants a similar opportunity. A development that chuffed both the organisers and the designers. The 6 young designers will this year showcase an exclusive collaborated 25 look Summer/Spring 2016 Collection during the Intwasa Fashion Show.

“Just like last year, 3 designers will be selected for an attachment with one of Zimbabwe’s Major Fashion Retailer, starting in January 2016,  we will also have South Africa’s Azzura, an online store partnering with us in giving designers a platform to sell their products online”, said Hunnar Agency, the organisers.

Models at The Intwasa Fashion Show 2014

After successfully running the 2014 Intwasa Fashion Show, which featured a mixed bag of models from the professionals, public figures and plus size models, this year’s models auditioned were held at the Bulawayo Gallery. As expected the auditions were characterised with a large turnout of young professionals and aspiring models. The fashion show will feature 20 models, a group of professional models and new faces. “This year’s fashion show will have another exciting twist to it. Our Call for Models had 156 models coming through, with only 20 successfully making it through”, added Hunnar Agency.

10 designers will showcase in this year's Intwasa fashion show.These include, NOES who has showcased at platforms such as Zimbabwe Fashion Week and Clothing Indaba, Melusi Nhengu, Mosi Designs, Thembani Mubhochwa and some guest designers from South Africa. Confirmed partners of the Intwasa fashion show are Bulawayo Polytechnic, Azzura Online, AMTEC, Sheer Glow, Hunnar Management Agency and Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo. Other partners are yet to be confirmed.

Prior to the fashion show, workshops for people in the fashion industry will be conducted as build ups to the main show that will be held at AMTEC Showroom.

“Designers, just like models, need to be groomed and also they need to know how each of them benefits from one another. It is a complete business and industry which is interdependent. In the process, there is need to engage photographers, PR Personals, Bloggers, Journalists and other press in building ones brand. The workshops we will hold, will involve speakers that will highlight on different aspects of fashion and the Business of Fashion”, said Hunnar Agency.