How Vanhu Vamwe, A Couple Owned Slow Fashion Brand with Zimbabwean Roots Is Bridging Culture and Design

Vanhu Vamwe, SHONA for ‘One People’ is a luxury brand handcrafting products based on traditional crafts and modern innovation in Zimbabwe and Ecuador. The brand was founded by Zimbabwean born husband and wife duo Simba Nyawiri and Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri who both had a creative flair and a passion for community. Their passion set them out to collectively understand global design.

In this quest, Pam abandoned her journalism career and returned to school to study “Fashion Accessory Design,” specializing in leather luxury goods. She then proceeded to complete a PhD to investigate and develop a framework around “Care in Design,” which is supported by the theory of “Putting People First.”

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Owing to the Couples well grounded knowledge in the craft, Vanhu Vamwe creates ethical framework of luxury handcrafted products that articulate a strong brand aesthetic based on traditional crafts and modern innovation. The brand  explores playful, quirky, innovative storytelling highlighting cultural, historical and social themes through engaging conceptual handbags and also committed to working with artisans in Zimbabwe and Ecuador by bridging culture through design.

Care in design, cultural awareness, and putting people first are at the heart of Vanhu Vamwe’s work and every decision made. The brand is constantly seeking new ways to design products that are conceptual investment pieces and can be passed on from generation to generation. It’s pieces have  been known to be used as conversational home accessories, highlighting their multi functional uses.

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In order to avoid product waste, the brand produce small-batches of limited runs of its handbags, ensuring there is a limited risk of overproduction and waste. Vanhu Vamwe aims to maintain sustainable innovative values that incorporate Eco-friendly materials into its collections. Materials used by the brand are para-cord, leather, straw and yarn to produce sustainable and quality pieces.

The brand is associated with artisan partners who are also passionate as it is of preserving and promoting ancestral cultural wealth. With Vanhu Vamwe, there is so much opening to learning more, and supporting the craft to innovation. The brand work closely with its artisan partners  to close the gap on limited knowledge of design, product development and use of good quality materials. Vanhu Vamwe sets to raise skills and nurture higher levels of developing marketable world class products.

Source: Prazzle Magazine