Byo designers struggle to turn creativity into business

Bulawayo fashion designers are struggling to turn their creativity into sustainable businesses amid high production costs, limited funding and exposure, and competition from imported clothing, designer Felicia Phiri has said.

Phiri, a Bulawayo-based fashion designer with a background in scriptwriting and fine art, said the high cost of fabric and machinery remained among the biggest challenges faced by local designers.

She said some designers rely on imported fabric and rented machinery, which often slows production and limits their ability to meet demand.

“Most designers lack financial support. Resources do not come easy. Machinery, fabric, etcetera, are very expensive locally. One has to rely on imported fabric,” she said.

Phiri said greater access to affordable resources and financing would enable local designers to expand their businesses and create employment.

“Our Government can help designers by making resources easily accessible and affordable. Also, the availability of loan schemes at a low percentage could be an advantage,” she said.

Phiri said designers also needed greater exposure to expand their customer base beyond Bulawayo.

“Opportunities are there, but designers lack exposure, even on social media. Bulawayo designers lack funding to help them gather resources,” she said.

Phiri called for increased media coverage of local designers, saying newspapers, magazines and social media platforms could help showcase their work and connect them with potential customers.

“Weekly magazines and newspapers featuring designers can help increase the market,” she said.

She also called for sponsorship to enable designers to attend fashion shows outside Bulawayo and internationally, where they could showcase their work, attract customers and build networks.

Phiri said the local market remained small, with some consumers preferring imported clothing to locally produced designs.

“The market is small, with our own people in favour of imported designs. Therefore, it is less exposure for designers in Bulawayo,” she said.

She urged consumers to appreciate locally produced fashion and the creativity and cultural identity reflected in local designs.

“We need to see the beauty of our own designs,” she said.

Phiri said stronger social media promotion could also help local designers reach customers beyond their immediate communities.

Despite the challenges, Phiri said platforms such as Miss Rural Zimbabwe were creating opportunities for designers by increasing their visibility and connecting them with people in Government and the business sector.

“Miss Rural has opened closets that were closed. Most designers work and push to get bread money, yet there is [more] behind the bread basket money,” she said.

She said designers linked to the initiative had opportunities to engage people in Government and the business sector, potentially opening doors beyond the traditional fashion market.

Phiri said she hoped such platforms would also contribute to the development of young people and the promotion of Zimbabwean culture.

She wants Miss Rural Zimbabwe to establish centres where young girls can learn about cultural values, responsibility, abstinence and appropriate dressing.“We would love to see local names on billboards, everywhere. Our designs being used on different adverts,” she said.

Phiri’s creative journey began with scriptwriting and fine art, with sketching playing a key role in developing her interest in fashion design. She now combines those skills in her fashion work while participating in initiatives that promote local talent.

For her, greater access to resources, financing and exposure is key to helping Bulawayo’s designers turn their creative work into sustainable businesses.