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Peter Matika, [email protected]

THE name Annie Gonyora probably would not ring a bell to the millennial born just after 2010. The name is synonymous with a trend that was spelt and cast by one of the city’s most celebrated fashion icons to ever emerge.

Annie G, as she is popularly known and so is the brand, rose to fame in the early to mid-2000s, but somehow took a swoon and faded off the city radar, during the peak of her career.

She was known for making bold statements, glitz and glam with her signature couture.
The award-winning designer took somewhat of a sabbatical from her career, which was at its peak, and unfortunately left a fade.

Fast forward to 2023, Annie G has made a surprise return to appear in Dubai, where she has reinvented herself and landed a place at one of the country’s leading shoe and sneaker designing companies — Alive Shoes.

“I relocated to Swaziland and had been there for years. I took time to raise my three children Uzuri, Amari and Azari. I did a couple of shows like the eSwatini Fashion Week, but I did private gigs mostly. I did dress a few celebrities and socialites, which is my thing.

“However, at this point, I wanted to find a way to diversify my brand. So, this is how I went off the radar. That’s also when I was busy raising my children,” said Annie G.

She said she then relocated to Dubai to reinvent and have her brand recognised again.
“I wanted to do more and resuscitate my brand. I wanted to branch into something I had never done before. I didn’t want to solely focus on the clothing side, but on which direction I wanted to take in terms of the skills and talents I have acquired over the years.

“There’s a company called Alive Shoes that made a call for designers that would want to design for them. I did the gig and they took me on,” said Annie, noting that she is the first designer from Dubai and Zimbabwe to work for the company.
She said this was one of the biggest gigs she landed and was proud of herself.

“The brand I have launched now is called ARI By Annie G. It is a fusion of my children and my name. It means the lion of God. I have a six-piece collection running and I need to promote and reach seven production sales so that they go into full production.

Once I reach that target, I will be a certified shoe designer.
“Once people like the brand and designs, the shoe will be out there. In one of the collections, there are shoes that are inspired by our Zimbabwean culture.

I launched the design on Independence Day and I would appreciate it if people would follow and have an appreciation of what I’m doing,” said Annie G.

She said the company is based in Italy and deals in genuine products.
“This is the real deal. Italians are particular about what they wear. The wild mix of geometry and flowers, the patina of patterns, the magic of knitting and the renaissance fantasies are all that I’m putting into this project,” said Annie G.

She said she hopes to relocate back to Zimbabwe in the future, but first, she wants to get her “ducks” in a row before she can do so.
“I’ve been MIA for a long time, but here I am and I’m doing something big that can open doors for my kinsmen, as well as let the world know that Zimbabwe is a country filled with talented people,” said Annie G.