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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Arts Reporter
Local fashion entrepreneur Faith Taruvinga is set to represent Zimbabwe at the Taormina International Fashion show scheduled to take place next week in Italy.

Taruvinga will join other participants from Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Romania, US, Holland and the host country Italy at the event.

Founder of MimiKay Collections, Taruvinga, who was invited by the president of the show and fashion television personality Antonio Galli will not only showcase her wares, but will also take part in the fashion workshops that will be held during the course of that week.

In an interview, Taruvinga affectionately known as “Achihera” in social circles, said she was happy with the latest development.

“President Mnangagwa is on record for saying repeatedly that Zimbabwe is open for businesses, a mantra that has seen many sectors jumping on board and finding their space in the new trajectory.

“I am glad that the fashion industry is doing the same, so this invitation is the first of many platforms that will be used to attract fashion industry investors into the country by showing them the abundance of talent that my country possess,” she said.

Taruvinga who is not a designer per se, said her passion is originality.

“I have managed to rub shoulders with the elite fashion gurus, creating and networking which will help promote the industry.

“I am going to showcase the range that will be put on the runway in Italy and hopefully, a day before I fly to the event I will host a small intimate evening with friends, family and local fashion buffs so they hear and see what I am going to present in Italy.

“My range is on traditional and a bit of evening gowns. Local designer Natalie Rushesha will be helping me in some of my collections,” she said.

Taruvinga will use her expertise on fashion entrepreneurship skills to put not only Zimbabwe on the map but Africa as a whole.

The show is one of the biggest fashion galas in the history of fashion as it features Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana of popular brand Dolce and Gabbana, known as regulars there.