Zimbabwe Fashion Week (ZFW) 2025 is set to redefine the country’s style landscape and turbocharge its tourism agenda in one stunning week. Scheduled for October 8–12, 2025, the runway and the rooms will be shared between the Hyatt Regency Harare and The Meikles Hotel, turning the city itself into a movable catwalk. Under the unwavering vision of founder Priscilla Chigariro, the Harare-based showcase is primed to catapult homegrown talent onto global feeds and catapult the world’s fashion set into the nation’s capital. Chigariro’s team promises this edition will transmogrify the city into a must-see port for style lovers and hungry tourists, overdrawing the lines between the runway and the world map.
In a Southern Africa marketplace where style evolves at the speed of the latest viral hashtag, ZFW has transmogrified itself from a collection of catwalk moments into an indispensable chapter in the country’s master plan for tourism. Attendees will be brought face-to-face not just with garments, but with the stories behind the stitches, the fragrances of locally-sourced fabrics, and the drumroll of traditional music often kept in the background. Decision-makers from fashion, migration, hospitality, and entertainment are already circling dates, flights, and hotel rooms. Their arrival is set to magnify Zimbabwe on international must-visit lists, an unequivocal nod to the country’s rising status as the next must-see capital for cultural tourism and luxury fashion.
ZFW 2025 is not just about haute couture; it’s an essential catalyst for Zimbabwe’s tourism industry. The confirmed dates and venue have made it easier for international media and buyers to plan their trips, signaling the event’s growing importance in the global fashion calendar. The involvement of the Hyatt Regency Harare and The Meikles Hotel, two prominent establishments in Zimbabwe’s hospitality industry, highlights the country’s ability to host world-class events that cater to the luxury tourism market.
For international visitors, ZFW provides an excellent reason to explore Zimbabwe beyond its famed natural beauty. While Zimbabwe is known for its breathtaking landscapes like the iconic Victoria Falls and pristine national parks, it is also gaining recognition as a center for cultural experiences, with fashion serving as a new form of expression for the country’s rich heritage. By drawing in international fashion buyers, designers, and tourists, ZFW will offer a new avenue for travel exploration, providing opportunities to experience the cultural vibrancy of Harare and beyond.
The event’s focus on craftsmanship and cultural heritage connects directly with the country’s tourism initiatives, which aim to offer travelers a deeper understanding of Zimbabwe’s history, creativity, and modernity. Attendees will not only have the chance to discover new fashion trends but also immerse themselves in the spirit of Zimbabwe’s diverse communities through art, music, and design, enriching their travel experience.
For the fashion industry, ZFW 2025 is a platform where African designers can engage directly with global audiences, helping to establish Southern Africa as an important player in global fashion. As the event brings together local designers and international buyers, it fosters a unique business environment that transcends borders. The inclusion of various fashion categories, including couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, and hand-crochet, reflects the diverse talents emerging from Zimbabwe and the surrounding region.
The high caliber of designers featured at ZFW, including LIN COUTURE (AmaLinda Chindori-Chininga), KOKI KAMALA (Koketso Chiepe), and Afro Jumbo (Evelyn Mubochwa), speaks volumes about the growing sophistication of Zimbabwe’s fashion sector. These designers will showcase their collections to an international audience, potentially leading to greater export opportunities and helping Zimbabwean fashion enter key global markets. As a result, the fashion week contributes to the country’s economic development while positioning Zimbabwe as an attractive destination for tourists seeking the latest in African luxury and design.
For international travelers, the allure of ZFW extends beyond the runway. Zimbabwe offers visitors a chance to explore not only Harare’s dynamic urban life but also the country’s iconic tourism landmarks, such as the UNESCO-listed Victoria Falls and the Hwange National Park, home to the largest elephant population in the world. Tourists can plan their trip around the event, making it a multi-faceted journey that blends fashion with adventure and cultural discovery.
The direct economic benefits of ZFW 2025 for Zimbabwe’s tourism sector are immense. Events like ZFW are key drivers of tourism, attracting a diverse range of international visitors, including industry professionals, media, and fashion enthusiasts. The presence of international media covering the event will raise Zimbabwe’s profile globally, showcasing the country’s tourism assets to millions of people around the world.
Hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, and local attractions in Harare and beyond stand to benefit from the influx of fashion week attendees. In addition to the event itself, many visitors are likely to extend their stays, exploring Zimbabwe’s other tourism offerings, thus boosting revenue across various sectors of the economy. Moreover, the event also presents an opportunity for local businesses to showcase their products and services to a global market, fostering economic growth and employment in the region.
By blending tourism with a major international event like ZFW, Zimbabwe positions itself as an innovative destination where culture, style, and adventure meet. The partnership between fashion, tourism, and hospitality sectors is vital for the country’s long-term development, helping to create sustainable growth while providing tourists with a high-quality, multifaceted experience.
Looking ahead to 2026, Zimbabwe’s role as a burgeoning fashion capital is set to receive an even bigger boost. The country will host World Fashion Week® 2026, a prestigious global event that will further solidify Zimbabwe’s position as a key destination for fashion tourism. This event will be another powerful signal of the country’s growing influence in the global fashion scene, as well as an opportunity for international tourists to explore Zimbabwe’s rich cultural and natural attractions.
As the fashion and tourism industries continue to intertwine, Zimbabwe is on track to become a leading destination for travelers seeking both luxury fashion and authentic cultural experiences. For those planning to attend ZFW 2025, it’s an opportunity to witness firsthand the transformation of Zimbabwe into a beacon of global style, while enjoying the world-class hospitality and breathtaking natural wonders that make the country a must-visit destination.
Zimbabwe Fashion Week 2025 transcends conventional runway displays; it serves as a strategic gateway to envision the convergence of fashion and tourism across Southern Africa. By showcasing gifted designers and positioning the runway within a broader visitor experience, ZFW orchestrates a calculated repositioning of Zimbabwe within the international imagination. The Week not only amplifies encountered creativity; it also communicates Zimbabwe’s capacity to court substantive visitor traffic and investment by framing style as a vehicle of substantive economic narrative.
Concurrent with this cultivation, the tourism sector is reorganizing to meet the differentiated demand engineered by ZFW. Zimbabwe is emerging as a differentiated stop within itineraries oriented toward discerning travelers, who seek experiences that fuse contemporary style with deep cultural and ecological narratives. The impending horizon of World Fashion Week® 2026 further consolidates this narrative, encouraging both regional and global actors to regard the nation as an emerging junction of fashion influence and sustainable travel, thereby signaling a durable trajectory of growth across both industries.
