Celebrated Fashion Designers should uplift aspiring and upcoming players in the industry: Lancome Mudyavanhu
Lancome’s brainchild: the LaRue Creations emblem
By Ronnie Chisamba – South Africa based Zimbabwean fashion designer, Lancome Runako Mudyavanhu (35), believes prominent and well-known players in the industry should support aspiring and upcoming artistes to ensure the industry’s growth locally and internationally. The fashion designer made this revelation during an online interview from her Durban base early this morning.
Finished product – a model in one of LaRue Creations’ proudly African designs at the Harare Gardens in 2018
Lancome said aspiring and upcoming fashion designers can contribute immensely towards the growth of the country’s fashion industry locally and internationally with the support of famous names in the business.”lt is difficult to achieve recognition in the fashion industry in Zimbabwe and this results in aspiring and budding designers giving up. A lot of talent is lost this way, personally l believe the established names in the fashion design arena should help those trying to get into the industry, “she said
Born in Harare on the 16th of 0ctober 1985, Lancome launched her own fashion label – LaRue Creations in 2018.She credits the achievements she has made in the industry to people she has worked with at the initial stages of her career.”l briefly studied interior decoration at Ranch House College in 2008.Financial constraints led to my abandoning my studies. My passion for fashion design resulted in my working from home as a budding designer in 2017 l joined a local fashion design company Tawana by Tasha and from there l moved to Ishumael Tsakata’s company as his personal assistant. l learnt a lot from Natasha Rushesha during my stay at Tawana by Tasha but lam very grateful to Mr. lshumael Tsakatsa aka Zaguesia for mentoring me and grooming me to be the designer lam today, “she pointed out.
Models exhibiting some of Lancome’s designs at Food and Culture Festival at Harare Gardens in 2018
Lancome said it was the help she got from Zaguesia that enabled her to make her debut appearance as a designer at the Food and Culture Festival, an event which was organized by Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, on Africa Day in 2018.Held at Harare Gardens, the event was a platform for budding fashion designers to showcase their talents and was graced by Ruby ,Joseph of the JSJ clothing label and other well-known local designers.
LaRue Creations brings together the young designer’s two names: Lancome (French for beauty) and Runako (Shona for beauty). Coincidentally LaRue also has a meaning in French. “Topographically LaRue is a name for someone who lived beside a road, track or pathway. But to me LaRue Creations is simply Street fashions, “Lancome said.
A product of Golden Valley Primary and Waverly Secondary in Kadoma, the young designer migrated to South Africa in August last year in an endeavour to market her work but has plans to return home next year.
