Paperbag Africa in partnership with the British Council will today host a fashion show dubbed I Wear My Culture, which explores different ethnic groups in Zimbabwe embracing their heritage and culture.
The event is being held at the British Council in Belgravia, Harare.
Qhawe Khumalo, popularly known as Gilmore Tee in showbiz circles said the event features a conversation with practitioners who have been preserving culture and heritage through their fashion.
“The fashion show will include the screening of the award-winning I Wear My Culture documentary, which was filmed by Creative Mice Films,” he said.
“This event will involve interactions with the general public and also clarifications concerning the interpretation of clothes and the documentary.”
Gilmore Tee, who is a media practitioner, curator, cultural manager and fashionista, said the inspiration for I Wear My Culture was from the need to shine a light on the different unique tribal groups in the country.
“Growing up as a Ndebele and Shona mixed child, I always used to see the different dynamics of being a Ndebele child born of a Zezuru woman,” he said.
“Most of the time I was always caught in between and also made to believe that there are so many differences between these particular groups, which we consider as the majority in Zimbabwe.
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“All you would hear of is Ndebele, Shona and English. So I have always wondered where the other groups are, and what their voices are also defining our culture and heritage as Zimbabweans.
“This then took me into the field to do research on 10 tribal groups in the country, zoning in on their symbols, artefacts, motifs, the way they used to dress, decorate their homes, themselves and colours unique to them.”
Gilmore Tee said the research involved young designers, who were randomly allocated a group, to which they did not belong to, with the aim being to cross-learn within the project itself before they showcased their findings.
“The documentary follows these young designers’ journeys, from the initial workshop they had with uBaba uPathisa Nyathi, to UK heritage designer Dorota Stumpf, to their views on their assigned tribal group, going in rural communities of the groups to do research, interpreting their findings through garment construction and then the final product, which is two garments from each tribal group,” he said.
Ncominkosi Sibanda, Charmaine Nziradzemhuka, Nakai Kazhanje, Yolanda Ngwenya, Margarat Mathambo, Nkululeko Ncube, Fungai Muzoroza, Shinga Madzima, Noliwe Mhlope, Tashinga Sambo, Kundai Tamirepi and Casey Stoddart were selected from a pool of designers.
The fashion event will feature award-winning designers Mzukisi Mbane of Imprint ZA, Nkanyeziyethu Malunga of GANU, Danayi Madondo of Haus of Stone and moderated by Busi Bhebhe.
