HARARE, ZIMBABWE — Upon completion of the 2026 edition of Zimbabwe Fashion Week, GLASS caught up with the founder and three designers to weigh in on the nation’s present and future.
On the Vision
Priscilla Chigariro, Founder and Executive Producer, Zimbabwe Fashion Week
“I was really impressed with the quality of the designers we had this year. I feel like it was a big step up from last year. They’re actually working harder, really making sure that the products are well-finished and that they actually look good. And also the storytelling—I thought it was just incredible, and it was there.
The first Fashion Week was in 2010, and it was really small, but the designers were really eager. I think we showed about ten designers back then, and then we’ve slowly grown over the years, gained more sponsors, partners, and a lot of local media support. What I’ve seen over the years is that the more we did it, the better the designers got, the better the models, and so forth.
At the very beginning, I actually only started Fashion Week because I wanted to be a fashion designer, honestly: I was working in South Africa—I used to be a model—and I wanted to come back. And I came back, and there wasn’t really anything happening here fashion-wise. And a friend of mine actually said to me, ‘Why don’t you just start a Fashion Week?’ So I took on the challenge, but I couldn’t continue with design, because organising the event itself was just a lot of work and so that went by the wayside.
Priscilla Chigariro
However, I find a lot of gratification in giving designers a platform, and it’s all about the joy I see. It’s moments like these where I can see that people really love this – and it’s something we really need. We don’t have a lot of fashion platforms here, or anybody that’s really kind of championing the industry, so I’m doing it for the people and for the designers. Because, I mean, without Zimbabwe Fashion Week, there wouldn’t be much exposure. The only other sort of big event is the British Council, the Creative Economy, but they don’t take a lot of designers, and it’s a little different.
But, yeah… we have been working hard, and I’m pretty happy with where we are. Now, it’s all about building an ecosystem, because I know that just Fashion Week is not going to make the cut. We need a way for the designers to actually make it a real business. And so I’m opening a boutique in November in Boston, where we’ll select a couple of the designers that we saw, especially some from today, and expose them to international markets.
I think it helps us to develop them as well, because then they start to understand luxury quality standards, packaging, as well as pricing, which is something that a lot of designers don’t know how to do properly. The boutique will give them at least the motivation, while trying to develop some designers so that they can become full-time designers, like in other countries.
The more work we do, the more people will actually work with local designers, and the more business they’ll get, and the bigger the industry will get, too. And then exposure, of course, because I think that these designers deserve it. We are more on the map as far as fashion is concerned. We really tried to invest in that this year, trying to get, like, as much exposure and visibility as we could, because I think that’s the best way to help our designers to grow.”
On the People
Three Designers Weigh In on Inspiration, the Season and Far Beyond
Bethany Magaya, Designer of Mawoko at Zimbabwe Fashion Week
“While I’m at Zimbabwe Fashion Week, you can see most of my style is quite contemporary, modern, and not too focused on traditional wear; rather, it’s very clean. There’s a lot of cosmopolitan and global influence. So, I’m taking part in Zimbabwe Fashion Week because now I live here, and it’s my second year.
Since I was a little girl, I just loved the idea of fashion and found out I’m quite good at it. I realised that it gives me so much joy. What I was mostly focusing on encapsulating was who the Mawoko woman is, what she looks like when she goes to work from nine to five or what she might be wearing when she’s casual for brunch and maybe on a night out.
Mawoko
So, that’s why you see different elements that encompass her whole lifestyle. On future visions, I feel like we’re on the verge of something new, something different. I feel like I’m enjoying seeing a bit more professionalism coming up, which helps us to be taken a little bit more seriously. I think we still have lots and lots of leaps to go in terms of this general acceptance by the population.
Zim Fashion is not as accepted by Zimbabweans, which is a very weird concept that I had to adjust to when I came here. It’s different from other African, South African, where they really boost their own creative practice, and it’s really well accepted and can still be seen as luxury. I’d say local is not seen as luxury. It can be accepted to a degree, but it’s not seen as luxury. However, I really feel platforms like ZFW are trying to do something that was not being done before, which is nice to experience and see evolve.”
Esther Austin
Esther Austin, Designer at Zimbabwe Fashion Week
“My collection was inspired by the lunar eclipse, so these colours came from that. I’ve been in Zimbabwe all my life, and this was my fourth time at ZFW. The very first time was in 2015 and then 2024, 2025 came this year. So I’m learning bit by bit. I’m very creative when it comes to constructing. I have to do everything on my own. I also have a nine-to-five, which is a challenge, but I want to take it as far as I possibly can, as I don’t ever give up. This brand is my art and my love, no matter what, and it’s my happiest place.”
Elizaé Couture
Elizaé Couture, Designer at Zimbabwe Fashion Week
“Rooted is the name of my collection, mainly inspired by my journey in fashion. I’m really used to doing cute little dresses, and this time around I wanted to go into streetwear. I’ve never done menswear before, so this was my first time going big. I loved the experience of Zimbabwe Fashion Week because I see that it’s growing, even though it hasn’t reached all parts of the local scene.”
On the Culture
What Shapes the Country Aside From its Fashion-driven Offerings
Far beyond fashion’s fixtures, the country also has an extraordinary pool of cultural offerings that are woven into the heritage of the city and beyond. From Avondale’s flea market, rich in local traditional artifacts, to Mbare Musika’s one, heritage is steeped into the very heart of Zimbabwe.
It also extends to the Koje (Balancing Rocks), a place that creates a symphony between the city’s rural landscape and nature’s own wonders—a wonder that stretches to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and the Chapungu Sculpture Park, home to brilliant pieces conceived by local sculptors and artists that have the quality of being represented on the global stage. The National Heroes Acre is also home to probably the nicest viewing spots of the city, where a towering bronze artwork blends in and stands against the capital’s backdrop.
by Chidozie Obasi