In a move that underscores the growing synergy between Zimbabwe’s creative and manufacturing sectors, Gliding Star Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd has announced a major sponsorship for the Zimbabwe Fashion Week (ZFW) 2025 Emerging Designers Competition, a gesture that is set to uplift the next generation of local fashion talent.

The partnership, led by Mr. Simon Udemba, Managing Director of Gliding Star Enterprises, reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to supporting Zimbabwe’s creative economy. Established in 2002, Gliding Star has earned a strong reputation for excellence in clothing manufacturing, retail, and wholesale distribution of high-quality garments and fabrics.

The initiative was born out of a productive engagement between Rumbidzai Chirumbwana and Walter Chipambwa from the Hunhu Council of Fashion, the developmental arm of the Zimbabwe Fashion Week Trust (ZFWT). Their shared goal, to provide tangible support for emerging designers, has materialized in a sponsorship package designed to transform creative ideas into thriving enterprises.

As part of the sponsorship, the top three winners of the ZFW 2025 Emerging Designers Competition will receive key production resources to scale their work, first place receives two sewing machines and 70 metres of premium fabric valued at over USD $1,500, while the second winner gets one sewing machine and 100 metres of high-quality fabric, third place also awarded one sewing machine and 70 metres of fabric and two runner-ups will also receive 70 metres of fabric each.

This support bridges the critical gap between creativity and production, ensuring that innovation is backed by resources that sustain long-term growth. The announcement follows the ZFW 2025 Opening Launch Party, an exclusive event that united leaders from corporate, diplomatic, and creative sectors in celebration of Zimbabwe’s growing fashion influence.

With Gliding Star’s partnership marking a major milestone, Zimbabwe Fashion Week continues to position itself as a platform for empowerment, sustainability, and world-class creative excellence. Looking ahead, ZFW 2026 promises even greater opportunities through new training programs, global collaborations, and expanded industry linkages. For Gliding Star Enterprises, this collaboration is more than a sponsorship, it is an investment in Zimbabwe’s future, where craftsmanship meets creativity, and fashion becomes a driver of national pride and economic growth, and they are looking into doing more in 2026 and beyond.