adminBongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
Legendary musician Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi’s new shoe line, Hai-Kobo which was launched in Harare last week will be available in Bulawayo at the Meikles store from today. The Hai-Kobo range of footwear with styles for the 2015-2016 fashion season, will also be available in South Africa at Rosebank’s Socrati Man in Johannesburg.
According to Tuku, Hai-Kobo which started as a chant – Hai-kobo aha — in his yester-year songs was then accompanied by a fashionable dance that was distinctly exclusive to him. Now, the dance has been developed into a fashion label, something which he hopes his fans will find resonance with, the values espoused by his yester-year music and the dances that were popular then.
“Hai-Kobo is an uplifting dance, it’s for releasing distressed emotions, and it’s a therapeutic dance,” said Tuku.
The present Hai-Kobo range is for men and comes in various forms, sandals, casual suede shoes, loafers, formal slip-ons as well as formal laced-up shoes, ranging from $60 in price for a pair of sandals to $135 for lace up shoes which are in plain black, brown and suede. With such a price tag Tuku seems to be targeting the high end of the market. This is befitting for any celebrity clothing line, as customers would want to be associated with class that the superstar exudes.
It is no surprise that at the Harare launch, the footwear made from calf leather, was bought by the stores’ best customers on a whim.
Hai-Kobo was designed and developed by Mtukudzi over a five-year period. Genuine calf full grain leathers were used to come up with the premium range of footwear that was consistent with Tuku’s status as a tourism and goodwill ambassador. Calf leather, according to Tuku Music, is the best type of leather to be used exclusively in high quality men’s and women’s dress shoes. It can be more than twice as expensive as regular leather shoes.
Tuku’s manager Sam Mataure said plans were underway to launch the shoes in other cities.
“We’re meeting the gentlemen who did the shoes on Monday and by then, we might know where we’ll be launching them,” Mataure said.
He added that they were working on introducing shoes for women and children.
“We haven’t forgotten our mothers, sisters and children as we’re planning to have a shoe line for them in the near future,” he said.
Tuku’s shoe line launch follows the likes of Big Brother Africa Housemate Pokello Nare who launched her Pokello Pink bottoms last year.
Online Reporter