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By Lloyd Rabaya
Growing up in the dusty streets of Chitungwiza, just like many other children, Jasper Mandizera wanted to be a pilot.
An old adage reads, “Fate will find a way.”
Now 36 years old, Mandizera has since turned away from his childhood dream and is now pursuing fashion designing as his profession without any tertiary qualifications, only talent qualifying him.
“I exercised my skills on my jeans. Yes, I would revamp my jeans from my closet. Fashion made me think outside the box and see clothes differently,” said Mandizera.
Mandizera did his primary school at Chinembiri Primary and later went to Cranborne for his high school education.
For him, fashion is not learned at school, but it is a way of expressing oneself.
“I saw unimaginable creativity. I saw stories from even the slightest of fits. I saw my happiness. And chose to stay and explore,” he said.
In 2013, he gave birth to an organization, the Ivhu Tribe, which got registered in 2021 and over the years, grew to a total of seven members of different expertise including make-up, and photography among others.
Ivhu Tribe is a place where unorthodox, exciting, and cutting-edge designs are consistently generated. Creativity, drive, and energy are components of their blood.
The company comprises a cross-functional team that is innovative, forward-thinking, and supremely gifted individuals that are constantly evolving into separate entities but share a common denominator – the love for fashion.
Two weeks ago, the Ivhu Tribe launched an alluring haute couture dress which is a combination of different materials including sinamay, mesh, butterflies, brown board, paint, and a special type of rexine.
Designed like the lava of a butterfly which, to Mandizera represents growth, either positive or negative, the dress is suitable for top-notch red carpet events, music videos, and stage performances.
Before, Mandizera says they also designed dresses for prominent figures like Vimbai Zimuto, Madam Boss, Kikky Badass, and others that he could not disclose.
The novel dress is pegged at US$1 800. The Schmetterling Dress is a symbol of positive transformation,” he said. “We see an introverted and depressed caterpillar trapped inside its cocoon, unaware of its surroundings, but with the passing of time and an appreciation of the process, it transmutes into this exquisite, graceful, and desirable thing of beauty that is full of life.”
Schmetterling is a German word that means colourful butterfly.
The eclectic style of dress signifies that change is inevitable and, as humans, we need to improve ourselves every day.
Mandizera also says he is very humbled that graduates from fashion schools consult him for assistance.
The make-up artist at Ivhu Tribe, Shannon Muchemedzi said,” We are entrepreneurs who just came together for different projects. I am a firefighter but I also love fashion.”
Like other members of the team, Shannon is also a reputable name in her field, founding the popular ZIMMUA by Shannon brand and running her own makeup studio.
As far as imaginative collaborations and pushing the bounds of creativity to create genius, the team at Ivhu Tribe seems relentless and destined for the bigger stage.