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Thembani Mubochwa

AWARD winning fashion designer Thembani Mubochwa, the brains behind the TMZ (Thembani Mubochwa Zimbabwe) brand, has unveiled his plans for this year.

He expects to release a luxurious collection and the Elephant Dress line (which will be in the Big Five collection project) next month.

The designer has dressed the likes of the late South African gospel musician, Sifiso Ncwane, gospel musician Tatenda Mahachi, radio personality MisRed, Selmor Mtukudzi and husband Tendai Manatsa, the late Sam Mtukudzi and Afro Soul musician Lira.

The luxurious collection will be falling under the name ‘Journey Beginning’.

According to Mubochwa, the range will have male and female designs and this will be the first time that he releases both ladies and gentlemen designs at the same time.

The name ‘Journey Beginning’ was chosen as Mubochwa believes that the collection will reflect the TMZ brand’s 15-year journey in the fashion industry.

“The Thembani Mubochwa’s luxurious collection will be under the wing name ‘Journey Beginning.’  The inspiration for this collection comes from the journey of 15 years I have walked without looking back or aside to do something else except fashion designing.

“This would have been my first collection that I will be ready to showcase all over the world but this year it’s not my focus,” he said.

However, Mubochwa says what will make the ‘Journey Beginning’ collection different from his previous collections will be the maturity from its quality.

“The unique part of my collection will be the maturity from the quality of my collection especially the finishing and the garment construction, something that we are lacking in Zimbabwe as fashion designers.

“The finishing on local designers’ clothes is not something you can take to international platforms.  I believe it’s high time we stopped leading the young generation astray and tarnish the image of our fashion industry,” he said.

Among his other plans is to continue working with the Craig Zoowie brand which he believes will take a higher step in the fashion world.

Other projects that Mubochwa will be working on are to do with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate as he is the Zimbabwe Elephant Ambassador

“I am investing more in Zimbabwe this year as the Elephant dress was endorsed by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate together with the Ministry of Education starting the Schools’ Elephant Dress competition the first term of 2017,” said Mubochwa. — Zimbuzz