adminBongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
FINGERS Modelling Agency, who have churned out the likes of Oslie Muringai (Miss Zimbabwe 2004), Lorraine Maphala (Miss Zimbabwe 2005) and Caroline Marufu (Miss Tourism Zimbabwe 2006), on Saturday night held a graduation ceremony for 11 male and female models at Horizon Pub and Grill in Bulawayo.
The models completed a three-month course in Grooming and Modelling, with the grooming part covering hygiene, exercise, dress sense, social etiquette, hair care and skin care and public relations. Modelling covered body posture, walking on the ramp, how to carry yourself in public, turns on the ramp and different poses.
They showcased evening wear, the ever popular swimwear and day wear.
The ceremony, held in front of a sizable crowd that had members of the Bulawayo Board of Designers, former models and fashion enthusiasts, was a celebration of the models achievement.
Head of Finger’s Modelling Agency Sarah Mpofu said she was moved by the level of maturity of her students who organised the ceremony.
“I must say I am moved at watching the models grow to an extent that they offered to organise the event at Horizon.
“We normally hold something small at the modelling agency every year, but the models this year wanted to hold something big and I said they can do whatever they want,” she said.
Mpofu said she was also grateful that Bulawayo came out to attend the ceremony, which showed people supported modelling.
“I was surprised at how many people came out to support the models. We at Fingers are grateful about that and it’s an encouragement for the models and me as well to carry on,” she said.
On the night were past models who strutted their stuff to show how many have graduated from the school much to the amazement of the crowd. Former models such as Portia Ncube, Nomakhosazana Ncube, Tholakele Dlamini and Sizi Ndlovu who was a judge, were part of a contingent of models that went on the ramp to show that they had not forgotten what they were taught.
Even Mpofu who has modelled since 1986, having groomed models since 1989, could not resist the urge to roll back the years and also take to the ramp accompanied by her younger brother Talent and showed what they had been teaching the male and female models during their course.
A surprise model was local comedian Marshal “The Drunk Comic” Elando who was given the most cheers among the male models. It seemed he had bussed in fans and cheerleaders so that they could encourage him on stage.
The graduation ceremony was also an exam that wanted to find out who was the best student in the class.
The judges comprised Nokuthaba Manungo, Elvis Sibanda (who played Phumza’s doctor on soap opera Amakorokoza) and Sizi Ndlovu-Mbala (former Miss Bulawayo and Miss Zimbabwe contestant).
The Top model was Jan Manqindi, followed by Marizane Murashiki and Sibonginkosi Ncube came in third.
Online Reporter