Designer Profile: Farai Simoyi

Article by: Simona M Gucciardi

From Zimbabwe to London, across the ocean to the campus of West Virginia University and onto the streets of New York City, Farai Simoyi has accumulated a wealth of cultural experiences that influence her up-and-coming women’s contemporary line “FARAI”. Her latest collection entitled “Desert Oasis” is a representation of her well-cultured up-bringing—touching upon softness, steel and bohemian—such characteristics easily seen in such landscapes.

Her first taste of the fashion world started at the age of 5 while getting a first-hand look at designing from her aunt’s lingerie company in Harare, Zimbabwe. She was given scraps of fabric to play with and would sew together clothes for her dolls. Thus her journey began and grew as she studied Fashion Design at West Virginia University. With an appetite for cultural impacts, Simoyi went on to study abroad in Milan, Italy at the Nuovo Academia Belle di Arte. In 2005, she began designing professionally and furthered her career by launching her own brand in 2010.

Farai Simoyi is greatly inspired by her upbringing in Zimbabwe, London, and West Virginia. Currently located in New York City, Simoyi names these cultural experiences a “fusion” that intertwines greatly with her Bohemian luxury design aesthetic. Her past collection Madame Rouge was a moment of “sultriness and seductiveness” while her current collection “Desert Oasis” is born from a lighter, more romantic mood with tribal influences.

As an intelligent and strong-minded woman herself, Simoyi aims to design for women with similar characteristics. One who is “strong in her choices and decisions” who leads life as a leader and not a follower.

When asked what’s next for her, Farai Simoyi says she’s working to get her current collection into stores and beginning a production line in Zimbabwe.

“I would like to see the brand become a household name, especially in Zimbabwe”.

Farai Simoyi will be showcasing her Fall 2012 collection at Africa Fashion Week New York on July 13^th.

For more of Farai Simoyi's work please visit her website here: www.faraisimoyi.com/