My name is Taurai Mushove, proudly Zimbabwean, and the founder of Zimcollar, a brand that creates fabric prints using some of the national monuments of Zimbabwe. Amongst the prints included is our very own Zim dashiki print specially designed to reflect the colours of our national flag. The dream behind Zimcollar was to develop an authentic Zim fabric for making multiple African styled clothing that carries symbols of our cultural heritage. Under the brand, we also tailor-make various clothing items such as hoodies, kids and formal wear. To see all the available stocks, you can visit the Zimcollar online shop.

I believe Zimbabwe possesses a rich cultural heritage that remains untapped. Over the years, I have seen my fellow kinsman eagerly, embrace other cultures without hesitation. Dating back to the late ’90s, and early 2000’s when brands such as Fubu 05 and Sean John were a “must-have style” for the young generation of the day. Fast forward a few years into the millennium, Nollywood movies reached our boarders and, suddenly every woman wanted to dress like the popular Mama Azuka.

​Over the last couple of years, I have had the privilege of living in Dubai, Joburg and also travelled to parts of Europe and Asia. Throughout, I noticed one common denominator -they all possess a well defined rich cultural heritage that governs their way of life. One key pillar supporting that cultural heritage was the evidence of a national attire. In Dubai, the men wear what they call a dishdasha while women wear the Abaya (a long, black flowing light coat over their clothing). In South Africa, you can quickly identify a particular tribe by merely looking at their dress code.

Upon reflecting, I began to wonder why, as Zimbabwe, we lacked our unique national attire? Was it because we lacked creativity or people were not bothered about the greater good of preserving our cultural heritage? As a result, I decided to fill in the gap by developing a solution to the problem.

I believe today’s youth need someone to inspire them to have a heart for our nation, and that is my vision. Culture survives through transmission from one generation to another as such; I too have a mandate to preserve the Zimbabwean culture. 

The opportunities to explore our cultural heritage are endless; Zim Collar is only but one of them. My challenge to you is this; ‘how are you preserving your national culture for the next generation?’ Remember if each of us plays our part, then together, we can make a difference.

For more information about Zimcollar and to view our full product range please visit our website www.zimcollar.com. You can also follow us on social media to get regular updates about any new developments – Facebook: zimcollar | Instagram: zimcollar

 “Paper money does not define a country’s riches. The nation’s wealth lies hidden in its cultural heritage.”