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Wayne Chiridza, Showbiz Reporter

Stakeholders in the fashion industry are expected to converge at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on August 27 to discuss issues affecting their industry. 

Dubbed “Umceco”, the event which will be in the form of a talk show is being organised by City Designers, an organisation run by Nkosilathi Nkomo. 

Nkomo, a fashion designer and fashion consultant has exhibited his designs at the ZITF, Matabeleland Fashion Week and numerous other fashion festivals around the country. 

He said he started the Umceco show because of the challenges he was facing as a designer. The indaba, he said, is meant to get fashion stakeholders and their audiences conversing. 

“This talk show will give fashion industry stakeholders (designers, make-up artists, photographers and anyone in the fashion industry) a platform to discuss their journey and difficulties they’re facing so as to come up with solutions to the problems. 

“The audience will also be given a chance to give their views of the Bulawayo fashion industry and suggest what can be done,” Nkomo said.

On the challenges they face as designers, he said: “People have reduced designers to tailors. We’re not tailors, but designers. I don’t make my clients bring their fabrics. I buy my own material and make outfits.

“The main challenge I face is that people are relaxed and aren’t giving us the attention we need as designers. People do not pay and we suffer in terms of acquiring resources. These are some of the challenges we face as designers.”

At the event, fashion designers, make-up artists and photographers will showcase their products. – @waynecas