A Zimbabwean creative entrepreneur, and the founder of Zimbabwe Fashion Week among other fashion innovations, is rethinking luxury retail with the launch of The Sp_ce, a global curatorial platform bringing fashion, art, design and craftsmanship into one evolving environment.

Officially launched in New York on September 9, The Sp_ce made its debut with Journey No.001, an intimate presentation designed less like a traditional retail experience and more like a meeting point for creativity, culture and discovery.

Founded by Priscilla Chigariro, The Sp_ce brings together independent designers, artists and makers from Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia and beyond. Its approach centres on the stories, techniques and people behind each piece, rather than simply its appearance or commercial value.

For Chigariro, the concept is deeply rooted in curiosity and connection.

“I wanted to create the kind of space I was always searching for — somewhere you enter without necessarily knowing what you are going to find, but leave having discovered something, someone or somewhere new,” says Chigariro.

That philosophy is reflected in the platform’s refusal to place African creativity at the margins or define artists solely through geography. A Ghanaian designer is presented as a designer, while a Zimbabwean artist is given space to stand on the strength of their work.

The New York launch brought fashion, art, design, fragrance and hospitality together, with guests engaging with selected works and creative processes in a setting built to encourage conversation and discovery.

The Sp_ce will now enter its next chapter with the opening of its first permanent location in Wellesley, Massachusetts, in fall 2026. Designed to feel more like an intimate gallery or salon than a conventional boutique, the space will evolve through new designers, objects, exhibitions and cultural programming.

For Chigariro, the ambition is clear: create a space where shopping becomes exploration and where global creativity can meet on equal ground.

“I don’t want to create a space where one part of the world is treated as the reference point and everyone else is presented as the discovery,” Chigariro says. “The world is the reference point. Extraordinary design is happening everywhere.”