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Thembani Mubochwa

Godwin Muzari Arts Editor
South Africa-based Zimbabwean designer Thembani Mubochwa seems unstoppable. About a month after scooping the Classic Race Wear (Male) Award at the prestigious Vodacom Durban July in SA, the designer came home last week to take the Best Designer accolade at Zimbabwe Models Awards.

At Durban July, Mubochwa went up the ladder to become the best this year after taking third position in the same category last year.

At both occasions, he dressed model Sifiso Andiswa for the prestigious horse race that is renowned for fashion trends.

Last year’s achievement saw Mubochwa being tasked to design outfits for some of the presenters and nominees at the Zimbabwe Music Awards through his TZM Fashion House.

His expertise has made him rise from one achievement to another and this week he will be basking in the glory of his recent accolades when he takes part at the ongoing Zimbabwe Fashion Week.

“It is good to be back home, especially when I am celebrating these recent achievements,” said Mubochwa.

“It was a great honour to be voted the best designer for classic race wear at Durban July. That is a big event and when people see you as the best, it means a lot.

“Now I am back home and I have just received the best designer award for 2015 at the models awards. I am humbled and my participation at this year’s fashion week is celebratory.

“For the past three years, I have taken part at the fashion week and I see it as a special platform to empower local designers. I come home every year for this event and I am happy with the talent in local designers,” he said.

The designer has participated at previous ZFW editions and his designs have been outstanding.

In 2013, he brought SA radio personality DJ Mroza (born Nonhlanhla Mroza Buthelezi) to the fashion week.

DJ Mroza is TZM Fashion House brand ambassador in SA.

Last year, he appointed local radio presenter Hazvinei Sakarombe aka DJ Chilli local brand ambassador and the popular disc jockey was outstanding in Mubochwa’s outfits at the fashion week.

At this year’s edition Mubochwa is working with gospel musician Tatenda Mahachi who is famed for his collaboration with SA’s S’fiso Ncwane (Mubochwa is also Ncwane’s designer). Mahachi will present Mubochwa’s designs on the ramp.

Mubochwa has been doing well at home and is poised to make history.

He has designed outfits for South Africa’s top celebrities for renowned international events. On the red carpets of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, outstanding achievers have strolled donning his designs.

He has done outfits for popular SA actors, the late musician Vuyo Mokoena and jazz musician Lira.

Despite these achievements, Mubochwa does not forget his roots and has done a number of charity projects to help the disadvantaged back home.

Early this year, he donated uniforms to disadvantaged children at a rural school in Masvingo.

“We handed over 100 school uniforms and a choir outfit to Chikato Government Primary School in February,” he said.

“We were working with one of the teachers at the school who travelled to Durban and told us of the plight of the children. We are going to be rolling out a lot more programmes for the school and other disadvantaged children to ensure we make a difference.

“We encourage other artists to do the same and assist the less-privileged since our effort is just a drop in an ocean,” he said.

Mubochwa said he will make designs for a number of local celebrities before he returns to his base in Durban.