Our Intwasa.... The Fashion Show

Intwasa Fashion Show has come and has gone folks and for those who attended the show that was so much anticipated like me on Saturday, will tell you why this event has been talk of the town for weeks now and definitely for weeks to come. Well at StyleArchivezw we say kudos to organiser and producer of the event, one and only Gilmore Tee. I kept thinking, 'how are they going to make that place fashion-event worthy but I was impressed.

The event had 10 designers showcasing and the majority of them were our very own designers based in different parts of the country who had come to showcase their expertise. Thembani Mubochwa, who was recently awarded the designer of the year 2015 at the Zim Model Awards was one these creatives. He showcased some of his wedding gown range and I'm sure most will be saying 'we've seen them many times' but I'll say wait till you see this designers collection. Loved the way he combined the gold details in most garments and different fabrics and still mantained the wedding theme. Brides, this is the guy to talk to for a gown that's going to make you the main attraction on your day.

South African based designers who are under the Azzura Collection graced the event with their designs. Leandre Willemse, Mma Hogany Designs and House of Hohwa by Kuda Matiza were the labels who made a name for Azzura Collective. Also showcasing were The Heralds, two young designers who were mentored by Ara Kani. Well we couldn't expect less especially if you trained by the best in the industry.

Then we had student designers from Bulawayo Polytechnic showcasing what they being taught and we realised why some call it the best art school. The last to showcase were the 6designers who were part of the Edgars Young Designers Development Program last year. These saw two of the designers, ShadowbySdue by Sidumiso Ncube and Sanah Designs by Sanah, who just raised our flag at the Durban Fashion fair showcasing some of the garments from DFF. Nkululeko Ncube of Ara Kani was the last to showcase his rebel range and how we loved all that camouflage.

When it comes to attendance, well the Bulawayo fashionistas didn't disappoint. We had the likes of Byo socialite Mbo Mahocs, Byo gothic designer Sidumisile Sibanda of Lady BlackRunnaway, Best dressed male at the ZFW red carpet Welsh the stylist (looking dazzling  as always) and the ever-so gorgeous Miss Earth Water Lebo Mmakola. Former Mr Bulawayo and renowned model Keith Oliver also graced the event as well as the diva herself, Nyasha Mtamangira. With the best of entertainment from PrayerSoul I'd definitely rate the event a 8/10.

We definitely can't wait for Intwasa Fashion Show 2016

Edgars launches Fashion Extravaganza with Sophie Ndaba

So last night folks I attended the Edgars VIP cocktail as they  launched another edition of the Fashion Extravaganza. As much as the invitees were looking forward to an evening of a VIP cocktail, well it turned out not to be very VIP. Well folks we not here to judge because we were there for the fashion and I can say the word extravagant got itself a new meaning.

The event delayed a bit as we all waited for the celebrity guest star all the way from South Africa to come in. Folks had their selfie sticks ready only to be disappointed by the news that for one to get a selfie with Sophie, you had to purchase items for $50.I thought 'great way of making folks to buy' though sad for many. Those who had their Edgars Club Card with them, was the perfect time for them to buy that amazing shoe they've always wanted from the shop. Some were lucky enough to walk away with personalised Sophie t-shirts.

The event was well attended as well by the great names in the fashion  and music industry from Bulawayo and I'd say peeps looked exquisite. We saw faces like ZFW's best dressed male on the red carpet Welsh the stylist,Byo socialite Mbo Mahocs,Style icon nominee for ZFW  Gilmore Tee, the amazing Miss Earth Water Lebo Mmakola, rapper Asaph to mention a few. It was a true fashion event.

The event had great sponsors like Jaguar, South African Airways, Star FM, NewsDay and the famous Holiday Inn that treated us with tantalising delicacies.

Well for those who didn't manage to make it to the launch cocktail, the fashion extravanganza promotion runs till the 31st of October and there are also great prizes to be won with the grand prize being USD$10000. Imagine what I'd do with all that cash. So folks go to your nearest Edgars shop and spend USD$50 or more and fill in your receipt and entry forms to drop in store and you stand a chance to win fab prizes.

Till next time folks!

Obyniq by O'brien Methuselah

We've gone past the fevers of Zim Fashion Week and all we left with are memories and throwbacks. Well folks we decided to take you back a bit through talking to one of the emerging designers O'brien Methuselah who showcased his expertise at the event and this is what we managed to come up with..

SaZw - StylearchiveZW

SaZw : So O'Brien, please tell us the history behind the label Obyniq and when it started?

O'brien : Obyniq is a combination of my name O'Brien and my uniqueness as depicted in my clothing line.. IT is all about bringing and delivering creative style in the men's world. It started about 5 years ago when a friend of mine mentioned my dresscode as "O'by unique " that's when I felt my fashion juices flowing through my bloodstream.

SaZw : Wow really interesting. So how did you get into designing and what do u find most interesting about it?

O'brien : As I was growing up I've always pictured myself dressing celebrities and famous people and i would help my family members on deciding what to wear to a special occasion. My style on it's own also pushed me to want to make clothes of my own as I do not like wearing an outfit similar to what the next person is wearing and I believe we all should look good in different ways.

SaZw : I strongly believe that's a really true view in the fashion world. So please tell us, you just officially launched your label at ZFW2015 with your Resurgence collection, please tell us about the collection and where you derived your inspiration from?

O'brien : "Resurgence " has been the best thing for me so far. In 2012 when I showcased at clothing indaba, one of my outfits (maroon denim outfit) made a good statement and left everybody talking about it and by so, it inspired my current collection, that's why you saw lots of maroons in it.

SaZw : I guess it was part of the reason I fell in love with the whole collection. So what would you say where the challenging parts in the whole process?

O'brien : Well, in my home country most men don't really understand the type of style I create, they just believe in the basic which I find not interesting.

SaZw : Hope I'm not one them hey (laughs). Otherwise, how was the experience like showcasing at the biggest fashion show?

O'brien : It was amazing, although I was nervous at first, I later regained my confidence when I noticed people's reaction and appreciation. I met different awesome individuals and their reaction was quite good just as I anticipated.

SaZw : The nervousness really was expected hey considering it was such a huge event. So would you say your work reflects your personal style?

O'brien : Definitely, that is why I ventured and specialized in menswear because everytime I'm designing I picture myself in the garment then I become so passionate about it.

SaZw : Woow interesting. Please can you describe your style in a few words and where it derives it's inspiration from?
O'brien :  I'm a mixture of styles ie: Funky, Elegant , vintage, Stylish without overdoing it, ultra Chic, ultra class.

SaZw : Nice one. You really define fashionista. Well considering that this industry can be a bit harsh, what would you say makes you succeed?

O'brien : Believing in myself, delivering the best on time and finding the right market, most of all valuing time.

SaZw : Time is really an essential part in this industry, true. Lastly, what advice would you give to someone who wants to be a fashion designer?

O'brien :  I would say honey, if you are not strong enough, go find another career because the Fashion industry is all about struggle, survival of the fittest, it takes decades to be established so you gotta be yourself and think out of the box.

SaZw : Thank you very much Mr Obyniq. We had a lovely time talking to you and we wish you all the best in your fashion work.

O'brien : You welcome

So there you have it folks. For those who didn't know our fashion creator, I'm sure now you have all the details you didn't know . For those who nees some proper menswear, you can get in touch with this young designer on the details below. Then we managed to get some visuals from Obyniq's Resurgence Collection at the Zim Fashion Week thanks to Tnash Photography.

Obyniq Details
Email : obyniq91@gmail.com
Skype : @obyniq
Facebook : Obyniq
WhatsApp : +27616314306

O'brien Methuselah's final walk! 

Opinionated Friday.... Summer and Revealing Clothes

We just got into September folks, well we close to mid month, but that doesn't stop our progress. Our loyal followers would know we had our famous Fashion Fridays the past month but we felt we were not interacting much with you folks. So we decided to introduce Opinions Friday so that we can get your views on certain topics. Hope we going to have a fun time.

Summer is here. We have packed those heavy jackets, scarfs and the boots away and welcome the skimpy clothes. Skimpy clothes! Yes skimpy clothes. The question now is how skimpy are the clothes supposed to be. As much as we love fashion and support the move of looking good, folks what's the take on these 'leave to imagination' pieces of clothing? . We've seen over the past years that for one reason or the other, clothes are becoming more flesh revealing. I've heard comments like "it's hot so we need fresh air". But what about the folks looking at us? What does it say about ones character?

Please comment below with your views and comments

Zim Fashion Week in words!

Zimbabwe fashion Week is over and for the appreaciators of fashion and those who attended, we'd say it was the best week ever. As much as it is sad that it's come and gone, considering we waited for it for months, we can say we learnt a lot.

The three days of showcasing saw Zimbabwean designers flaunting what they do best. Even though the program of day 1 started a bit late than the scheduled time, were had the showcasing of emerging designers and the young designers of 2015. Gems of Dune by Natsai Mujuru, SamLui by Humfrey Sarimu and Reen Zara by Mehreen were the first to showcase as the emerging designers. These were the folks who were part of the young designers program last year and this year they showcased as stand alone designers and aren't we proud of them. The young designers of 2015 also wowed us with their really creative designs inspired by the different forgotten tribes of Zimbabwe. We had entertainment by the likes of spoken word artist Enkromele and Zambian songstress Nyeembe. In general I'd say it was a successful day one.

The weather decided to kill the vibe of day 2 but we all know folks, nothing ever stops fashionistas from looking amazing. In warm coats, scarfs and rocking those boots, folks had their eyes on the ramp as models worked the runway in fabulous designs. We had labels like Maison de Rouge, Kwedu designs and..showcasing their work. We also had ADNP Designs sponsored by Hoity Toity Lentheric also showcasing their lingerie range and even though in the harsh weather, the models managed to convince us that it's the best range to go with. I should say this year, Zimbabwe fashion Week had such really strong models as they had models from South Africa, Botswana, Zambia as well as Namibia. Entertainment was also on point as we had the likes of Ammara Brown woowing the crowd with some of her latest songs. Loved the dance moves by the way.

Last day of showcasing, which was day 3,never disappointed as well. Armour Bespoke was the first to showcase their amazing creations. The collection was mainly suits and not just suits folks but designs that will make all eyes turn on the red carpet. They had designs that catered for women as well and adopted the boyfriend yet classy and chic look. Talked to the head designer who mentioned that their designs are mainly from following trends and the label has a collection of streetwear as well.. Mmhmhm interesting!! The second to flaunt their work was LiZA Couture by Kuda. We don't know how we can say this to make you understand the description of this collection but all we can say is FABULOUS. This woman really went out of her way to accommodate her creative demon and the visuals below have the evidence. I remember a comment coming from behind me saying "these designs are A-list Haute Couture" and I thought that's the best description. South African label Shirts & Co showcased third and well the collection deserved an award. His designs were really international and really needed fashion savvy folks to understand. His designs catered for both men and ladies in a way that will make them look differently amah-zing. And yes from my opinion, those shoes were out of this world.Jumping to the last showcase of the day and of the event, was TIR Fashion House. A-plus show stopper. Typical meaning of exquisite. The label had the longest ramp in all showcases and you just had to sit there and drool. With the hottest of high fashion garments, ladies you don't have to have any trouble on the red carpet. Emerging designer Humfrey of SamLui had this to say " they really had an interesting choice of fabrics and rich textures. Loved their interesting and creative patterns". Well folks I let the creatives spill.

Then came the day we were all waiting for, Zimbabwe Fashion Week Award Night. It was lights, Camera, action all the way folks. With Haute Couture garments the order of the night, photographers had their cameras clicking the whole time. Folks rocked the red carpet like professionals with interviews being held on the spot. With a bit chilly weather, you'd swear it was the hottest day in summer as no one let the cold define their je ne sai quio.
Then the award ceremony started. I'm not going to say much about this as the winners list is on the end of this article. The highlight of the night was Oliver Mtukudzi Reprospective Show which showcased his range of over the years. It was such an emotional and exciting moment at the same time as fashion peeps gave tribute to this amazing Zimbabwean icon. Entertainment from the Rusike Brothers also had the crowd on their feet, screaming as their performed their hit song, Cecilia. Successful event it was.

Zimbabwe Fashion Week 2015,done and dusted and thanks to the sponsors like Flash Portal, Cointreau, Shoko, Flori Roberts Make-up and TNash Photography who helped in the success of this event. We can't wait for next year for another dosage of the country's biggest fashion event.

For visuals of all the three days folks you can go to the facebook page of one of the sponsors, Tnash Photography to get the amazing pictures.

#ZFW2015 Fashion Awards

Make Up Artist/ Range Of the Year - Make up by Gamu

Stylist Of the Year - Craig Zoowie

Accessories designer of the year - Nix & Sam Accesories

Fashion Blogger of the Year - Kicking it with Mimi (Ameera Murad Ameer)

Fashion Photographer of the Year - Kudzai Chakaingesu

Style Icon Of The Year - Craig Zoowie

Best Dressed Female Red Carpet - Danielle Allen

Best dressed Male Red Carpet - Welshman Sibanda

Female Model Of the Year - Pretence Gonyesa

Male Model Of the Year - Michael Jacobsen

Emerging Designer Of the Year - Crystelle Khan

Designer of the Year - David Alford

Zim Fashion Week.... Day Two

It's day two of the biggest event of the year folks and yes it's main purpose is unfolding, showcasing Zim's raw talent.

First designer of day two was Tadiwa with Maison de Rouge. The collection mainly based on the tribe of opulence who are very stylish and vibrant. Having derived her inspiration from vibrant colours, it really showed on her amazing collection. She mentioned when we talked to her how she loves colour and how they come up all together and make something amazing.

Second designer to showcase was Kwedu designs. These guys are all about promoting the true Zimbabwean spirit. Talked to the head designer who mentioned that they all about creating clothes that are fun and that people should feel they belong in them." this collection was inspired by the African continent and it's cultures" said the head designer. Their designs were really high as they also celebrated different fabrics with some from Italy.

Next designer to showcase was Kay Terera with her collection named Zim Apparel. We asked her how she came up with the name and she told StyleArchivezw that her collection was all about rebranding Zimbabwe as a whole. With the negativity that comes with the name at times, she decided to attach a positive picture to the Zim name through her designs. She was all about patriotism and really fell in love with the whole idea.

Then the main highlight of the night was ADNP Designs sponsored by Hoity Toity Lentheric. Well I should say folks, this was an amazing showcase. Mainly showcasing lingerie, the designs were out of this world. Well we couldn't have expected anything less with sponsors like HTL.

Then we had designers from the renowned fashion shop, Zedlabel. Well these guys never disappoint and it was the same this time. Having three designers showcasing, their designs really spelt out their awesomeness.

Visuals below will leave you oozing with jealousy if you were not there,well don't blame me

Zim Fashion Week..... Day one

It's day one of Zim Fashion Week folks and my goodness did the designers outdo themselves. Everyone has been looking so forward to the defining of fashion and I should say, day 1,we got it.

First designer, Netsai Mujuru showcased her work and from my opinion, that was not even a show start but a show stopper. Her collection inspired by the East, was amah-zing. Even though she says it had a touch of Christian inspiration, we loved how she brought out the glam in it all. Talked to two folks from the crowd who rated the designs a 10/10. Well what can I say

Second designer was Humfrey Sarimu with his label SamLui showcased his bag collection and that's we call 'fashion redefined'. With his collaboration with Lady Blckrunnaway, it definitely were an A-plus.

Mehreen from Reen Zara also showcased her collection named 'Glamorous' and managed to have a chat with her after her show and that's when I learnt her collection was inspired by the deep forests of the Amazon then it all made sense to me. Awesome collection it was.

Then it was time for the showcasing of the Young Designers from the ZFW initiative program and each designer had to showcase their work inspired by different cultures and tribes in Zimbabwe. We had designs from tribes like The Ndebele, The Tonga to name a few.
"I think it was a really great idea as it brought out different tastes of clothes and also bringing out the theme of remembering the forgotten cultures", these were sentiments from one renowned designer, Tapfumanei Munenge. I definitely shared the same sentiments.

We had different designers showcasing as well like 9-lives,Ceca and the final slot was showcased by O'Brien Methuselah from Obyniq's. This South African based Zimbabwean had the crowd on fire. Being the only designer on day one to showcase menswear, he definitely  got back everyone's attention.

Just feast on the pictures below folks and we'd like to apologise that we didn't manage to get all the visuals due to some technicalities. We promise more as the days come