City calls on local fashion talent to submit collections for Durban Fashion Fair (DFF15), building on a decade of cross-border fashion exchange Bulawayo’s fashion designers have been handed another opportunity to take their creativity beyond Zimbabwe’s borders, with the City of Bulawayo calling on designers based and operating in the city to submit their collections for consideration at the 15th edition of the DFF15 in South Africa.

The call presents an important opportunity for the city’s fashion industry, particularly emerging and established designers looking to expand their regional footprint and place Bulawayo’s creative identity before a wider African fashion audience.

Applicants have been asked to submit a distinct PDF portfolio featuring a men’s wear collection or a combination of men’s and women’s wear, with the proposed runway collection expected to comprise approximately 10 to 15 pieces.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, 4 September 2026, while designers who are selected will be required to have their collections ready for the runway by 10 September 2026.

However for Bulawayo, the opportunity carries significance beyond this year’s runway.
The city already has a history of sending its designers to Durban, with local fashion talent having made an impact at the Durban Fashion Fair since 2014.

A decade of Bulawayo fashion in Durban
According to records from the City of Bulawayo, the city’s participation in the Durban Fashion Fair began in 2014 and has been facilitated by the longstanding relationship between Bulawayo and eThekwini Municipality.
The first Bulawayo contingent included Nkululeko Ncube of Rebellious Klothing, Sidumiso Tshuma of Shadow by Sidumiso and Sheenah Moyo of BlinQ Xclusive Jewellery.

Their appearance created an important precedent for designers from Bulawayo, demonstrating that local fashion brands could enter a major South African fashion platform and compete for attention alongside established names.
The following year, Zanele Dube of ZAH Designs, Saneliso Mpofu of Sanah Designs and Sidumiso Tshuma represented Bulawayo at the fair. The designers showcased alongside prominent South African fashion names, including David Tlale and Thula Sindi.

Sidumiso Tshuma’s breakthrough
One of the most memorable chapters in Bulawayo’s Durban Fashion Fair story came in 2016 when Sidumiso Tshuma of Shadow by Sidumiso won the Best African Menswear Collection at the Durban Fashion Recognition Awards.
Tshuma, a Bulawayo-born, self-taught designer, was appearing at the Durban Fashion Fair for the third time when he secured the award. His winning collection was inspired by the strength and symbolism of a knight and incorporated wool, suiting fabrics, jacket materials and metallic elements in different shades of grey.

The opportunity to participate in DFF15 therefore comes at a time when Bulawayo’s fashion industry is once again seeking greater regional visibility.
The question is no longer whether Bulawayo has designers capable of producing runway collections.

The city’s fashion history has already provided evidence that it does.
The question is which designers will take the next step?.

A platform with regional significance
The Durban Fashion Fair provides designers with access to a fashion environment considerably larger than the traditional local market.
For a Bulawayo designer, participating in Durban can offer opportunities to engage with fashion professionals, fellow designers, models, stylists, buyers and audiences from across the region.
It can also provide a valuable opportunity to understand how a collection performs outside its home market.

That exposure can be particularly important for designers hoping to build brands that operate across Southern Africa.
Fashion is increasingly regional.
A designer can develop a collection in Bulawayo, source materials from different parts of Africa, work with models and photographers across borders, showcase in South Africa and ultimately sell to customers in several countries.

The Durban platform can therefore become part of a much bigger commercial and creative journey.
What the City is looking for
The current call is open to fashion designers who are based and operating in Bulawayo.

Applicants must submit a PDF portfolio showcasing their work, with the proposed collection consisting of approximately 10 to 15 pieces for the runway.
They must also provide five high-resolution images of their best work.
The portfolio will be particularly important because it will provide the selection process with a window into each designer’s creative identity.
A strong submission should therefore demonstrate more than individual garments.
It should communicate a clear design language.
What does the brand stand for?
What makes the designer different?
What story does the collection tell?
Can the designer translate that story into a cohesive runway presentation?
These are the kinds of questions that designers should be asking themselves before submitting their work.

The clock is ticking
The deadline is Friday, 4 September 2026, giving designers only a short window to finalise their submissions.
Those selected will then have to move quickly, with their collections expected to be runway-ready by 10 September 2026.
That requirement places an emphasis not only on creativity but also on production capacity.

How to apply,fashion designers based and operating in Bulawayo are invited to email their PDF brand portfolio to:
bngwenya@citybyo.co.zw
communications@citybyo.co.zw.