By Takudzwa Hillary Chiwanza
The
contemporary lived realities of the youth, not only in Zimbabwe but in the rest
of the world, are a stark contrast from the promises made by the devisers of
free-market enterprise principles. The youth find themselves in an existential
and generational conundrum – bombarded with the infinite allure of material
riches yet kept far away from such. Denied, actually.
 |
| Guided Youth, a brand of Loft Clothing Co. |
The
resulting identity crises have made the youth appear lost and confused, but
such abstract critiques are reserved for another article. What can be said with
optimistic triumph is that the youth are trying, with all their might, to
create sense in the world; and such valiant attempts at finding their space in
the world need a bit of fine-tuning – a bit of ideology and consciousness.
And
this is what a new Zimbabwean fashion label called Guided Youth is
attempting to do through its fashion enterprise as will be elucidated by this
feature. Call it fashion with a narrative [and counter-narratives].
The Crises of the Youth, and their Marginalization
Given
this context of the contemporary youth particularly for Zimbabwe, one would
still be vindicated in asserting that the picture for the youth is grimly unpleasant.
And this is precisely because the cultural base for the young is dominated with
hegemonic narratives of materialism, desires for recognition and fashionability,
as well as a grotesque individualization of opinions – again for egoistic forms
of recognition. Even if this does not find weight in the immediacy of
popular urban cultures.
As
far as driving a ubiquitous and fashionable consciousness unifying the youth is
concerned, this is a herculean task. And it is understandable. Neoliberal forms
of capitalism have ostensibly devoured the already dissipating sanity of the
youth. And again, one cannot entirely put the blame on the youth. Bigger
forces unbeknownst to the whole populace.
The
absurdities of these contradictions have driven the youth to the peripheries of
capitalism where few opportunities in the normative world of work and wages
come their way – and the existential crises that this comes with is often
unbearable to endure. The youth have now come to forge their separate world
filled with its own [informal] structures, modalities of politics, methods of
production and recreation, and a virtual connectedness that is inspired more by
consumerist envy.
These
separate worlds are informed with remarkably innovative means of thinking –
counterbalanced by destructive forms of existence as well. One can easily
observe how the youth are caught in the tentacles of mimicry as they try to
keep abreast with global trends that engender the individualism and narcissism
that characterize the default order of neoliberal globalization. There is less
regard for cultural contexts as the “global must meet the local” in
postcolonial Africa.
Enter Guided Youth – Activism Through Fashion
But
this is where a nascent fashion label in Zimbabwe comes to the fore. Loft Clothing Company are
acutely aware of all these contradictions highlighted above, and through
fashion, they want to create counter-narratives regarding the stereotypes hurled
towards the youth in postcolonial Africa. Their spirited desire is to create
new, sustainable conversations that can dilute the toxicity of capitalism’s
influence on the youth.
In
their arsenal of novelty, Loft Clothing Company have birthed a new fashion
brand called Guided Youth – a form of activism through fashion and
art. Guided Youth is a concept they have come with (in line with the
informality that the youth have been compelled to undertake in this neoliberal
dysfunction) in which creativity [without bounds] takes centre stage to
ameliorate the existential crises burdening the youth of today.
It
is a movement to give the youth a voice and embolden them in their quests to
spread meaningful art to the world – art speaking substance; art that is not
thrust in a vacuum. Guided Youth provides the latest Zimbabwe urban fashion trends but with a solid backstory.
Guided
Youth has been an exciting phenomenon to watch, in all
honesty. Their repertoire of fashion items is refreshingly authentic and gives one a sense that this new fashion wave is contributing positive narratives to this
planet.
Unbound Creativity for Zim Fashion
Here is revolutionary art – even if the founders of Loft intimated to this
author that there needs to be a bit of caution there. But in the broadest sense
of the phrase, what wearguidedyouth as a label is providing to Zimbabwe and
the world is in all essence revolutionary art.
Loft
Clothing Company – the venture behind the Guided Youth
label – was created by Ngaatendwe Mapako, Sanders Mutsimba, and Kingstone
Zimunya, who passed through the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) for their
tertiary studies. The aim of these three men; buoyed by restless yet artsy youthful zest, is to give the youth the agency they lack because
of dispossession, displacement, climate change, and mimicry/copying.
Guided
Youth is the manifestation of homegrown teamwork and
solidarity, elements now exported to everyone else. As a team, they transcended their failures to produce an amazing strand of ingenuity that is increasingly
capturing people's hearts/conscience. Guided Youth is an amazing label. More
so because there is a concrete story behind it.
As for the unique, fascinating, and appealing Guided Youth logo - the compass - the co-founders assert that it is meant to guide you, and it came after Guided Youth had already been created. A compass is a good icon that people relate to as far as guidance is concerned. On closer attention, there's a G within the campus that represents the 'guided youth' and the arrows representing the directional forces.
Guided Youth and Creating New Conversations via its Statements
The
crux of Loft Clothing’s raison d’etre through their Guided Youth
label is hinged on creating thought-evoking conversations that lead to a better
present and future not only for the youth but for everyone. These conversations
are engraved on the merchandise they offer as [youth empowering] statements - the "Statements Series".
Loft’s
conversations are exceptionally infused with ideology. Such conversations, predicated
on a unique conflation of sensible liberal and left-leaning ideologies, are not
carved in an abrasive manner but they create a chance to mould a better youth
for today and tomorrow. Guided Youth is not an ‘attention-seeking’
movement.
Guided
Youth is more than rocking this tee, or that bandana, or
that tote bag – Guided Youth symbolically proclaims that we should have
faith in local products for local contexts, as asserted through one of its 10
statements, “Support Local; Local Is Lekker.” A good time for fashion in Zimbabwe.
What
Guided Youth conveys to us in a charming but resolute way is that we
should cease viewing local brands with contempt given the way we glorify
foreign brands such as LV, Dior, Gucci, Ellise, etc. Supporting local is the
new wave and that is one thing we should collectively take pride in.
The
ten statements that Guided Youth postulates are:
Everyday Is Mental Health Day; Listen To Your Body; Say It With Your Chest; Support Local, Local Is Lekker; Africa Is Not A Jungle; Phusha Phanda Pressa; Kapula Dongo; The Future Is Yours; Plastic Pollution Solution [via tote bags - large and often unfastened canvas bags with parallel handles that emerge from the sides of its pouch usually for shopping]; and What Am I Supposed To Do Outside But Get Rich?
In
this vein, Guided Youth is a “label with a difference,” as Kingstone
Zimunya puts it. The goal is to change perceptions – Africa is not a jungle for
sure, mental health matters in daily existence, one has to hustle and push every
day, support local because yeah, it’s lekker, the future is yours, and so on.
At the Tennis Court shoot for the breast-cancer and mental health awareness/releases, model Shane Macheche spoke of revolutionary art saying that all these statements are issues not prioritized and this alone is a revolution. Rutendo Matemai, another model who participated in the shoot, remarked of highlighting these serious issues for the betterment of the youth and all.
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| Shane Macheche - the 'Tennis Court' shoot. |
These statements are conversation rousers to counter neocolonial/neoliberal influences that have damaged the persona of the youth, to counter consumerism – it’s beyond fashion, it’s guided youth conversations.
The Unbridled, Untamed, and Restless Youthful Zeal Channelled By Loft Clothing.
This
author had the chance to witness Guided Youth first-hand for ZimSphere. Kingstone
Zimunya, the executive director of Loft Clothing Co. and one of its
co-founders, says Guided Youth was launched on the 16th of
August 2021 with its Spring/Summer collection series and the attendant statements,
but that this actually goes way back – it came forth as a result of timing and
execution.
Kingstone
had initially created a fashion label called Sauce Boys back in 2016 but
its failures (which he ruminated over during his time at UZ), coupled with the
creative input of Sanders Mutsimba (creative director of Loft) for
sustainability and a lofty fashion-sense combined to create a conceptual
framework for Guided Youth.
They
wanted to get rid of the idea that the youth are unfocused and only chase highs
from instant gratification via binges in social media ephemerality, unchecked sex,
drug abuse, and other morally questionable practices.
They
wanted to show that the youth are guided by their inherently meaningful
destinies – hence Guided Youth.
And
with their logo which shows a campus, Loft hope that perhaps in 20 years’
time the whole landscape of fashion labels in Zimbabwe will be speaking sense.
Not vanity. Guided Youth is you, dear reader and potential purchaser of
the fashion merch – everyone is a guided youth.
Guided Youth, Business & Zimbabwe’s Urban Cultural Contexts
Loft
Clothing Co. recently released a Guided Youth
breast-cancer awareness campaign through a photoshoot and merchandise – the ‘Tennis
Court’ shoot – that was done at the University of Zimbabwe last month.
The
statement accompanying this is, “Listen To Your Body.” Previously, Guided
Youth collaborated with Yanaya restaurant for a shoot in marketing
its products to the world – a collaboration that conflated fashion and organic
health [Yanaya] which we think was pretty cool.
Loft
Co. have regular photoshoots that propel their products to the world, and we
absolutely love them. Guided Youth also appears in the latest Zim Hip Hop music
video by Reap3r and VI THE Law called Body. Their presence in urban cultural
discourses is enviably palpable.
This author had the chance to interview Loft Clothing Company's co-founders and below are the excerpts of the exchanges we had [slightly edited for clarity and brevity].
[Interview
done by Takudzwa Hillary Chiwanza for ZimSphere.]
ZimSphere:
What is the story of Loft Clothing Company in bringing up Guided Youth?
Sanders
Mutsimba: Loft was an idea that came through as
the mother brand for Guided Youth. The Loft part came after we had already conceptualized
Guided Youth. The whole Guided Youth scene came through after we realized that
as the Zimbabwean youth, we have a determined way of growing, but there are
so many loopholes and issues unaddressed for the youth, issues we can address through
fashion in Zimbabwe. Guided Youth is a brand of Loft, and Loft is going to encompass many
other brands with time.
ZimSphere:
What are your counter-narratives? What is it that the system says which you go
against?
Sanders: Basically, we don’t want to come off as explicitly "against" the system – the system is not giving enough opportunities for the youth and we are here to give awareness. People need to know that people are going psycho out there, that everyday is mental health day, be careful with drugs, people should know that.
Awareness is a counter-narrative in itself. Our counter-narrative is that there isn’t enough content talking about issues affecting the youth. We address issues that are given little attention.
We
just released a breast cancer awareness campaign - campaigning for early
detection and treatment. People need to listen to their bodies. We want to campaign and bring
more insight and attention to issues affecting the youth.
 |
| 'Listen to your body' - the breast cancer awareness campaign; 'Tennis Court' shoot, UZ. |
ZimSphere:
Would you describe it as an artistic rebellion against the system?
Ngaatendwe Mapako: In a world which is governed by lack of self-esteem for the masses, believing in yourself is a rebellious act. Everyday, standards are set in every industry, but coming with something new is a revolution. Call it what you may – activism, awareness, rebellion – it’s about interpretation because it’s art at the end of the day.
ZimSphere:
Do you see yourself fitting in Zimbabwe’s current urban cultural contexts?
Ngaatendwe:
The cultural urban scene is quite
interesting now because countless youths are coming with many crazy/innovative ideas; people like
trendy stuff; but our position as regards where we fit is that we are guided by
our destinies, hence Guided Youth. Whatever context there is now; we can redefine
and change it.
There is no one specific answer to where we fit. We are targeting the youth, we speak to and for the youth, and the youth speak to us. Our statements on t-shirts are a reflection of what we think the youth should say to each other.
ZimSphere:
From your statements, what conversations do you wish young people should be talking
about daily - on social media, at the workplace, at church, at social
gatherings, etc.?
Sanders:
As of now, the conversation getting the most traction is “Everyday is mental
health day.” Mental health is one of the biggest issues affecting a lot of
youth and accompanying this is unemployment. Another conversational point getting
interest relates to overall physical health – “Listen to your body.”
For instance, whenever you feel unwell, don't go to work. Your instincts should inform your next step. We're promoting awareness in mental and physical health.
Then
there's the hustle; you need to find your space of excellence. Our hustle is
fashion, and we express ourselves through fashion. People should learn to support
someone's local hustle.
Ngaatendwe:
Our release of tote bags is meant to start conversations about plastic
pollution and environmental conservation.
Sanders: Adding to this, tote bags are a slight twist from the statements where we support environmentalism, and how people need to shop using tote bags because it's plastics littering the whole town. We need substitutes for plastic bottles.
Tote bags are an act
and a statement environmentalism.
ZimSphere:
Will you create solidarity with the rural youth who often view the city with
envy and glory only to be disappointed by its chaos?
Kingstone Zimunya:
Our ultimate vision as Loft is to plant seeds. We're still new, with our
statements, but we want to change the fashion landscape to new levels in
Zimbabwe. Of course there's a constant fear that the idea we're coming through may not
translate into what we desire in 3-5 year's time, but the hope is what keeps us
going. If the fear were winning, we wouldn't be where we are today.
Sanders:
We want people in rural areas to know and appreciate that local stuff can be
done, and it can "blow". That's our awareness. They don't necessarily
have to come to urban areas, with aspirations to go outside borders - we've
had so much brain drain in Zimbabwe.
ZimSphere:
Take us through the stock on offer.
Ngaatendwe: We have t-shirts, bandanas, and tote bags. Tees come in black and white, with all 10 statements on them. Also, there are pink and grey t-shirts - pink for breast cancer awareness/conversation and grey for mental health everyday, since we talking about grey matter. Tote bags are available but they only come with 4 statements. So far, there are only black bandanas in stock.
ZimSphere:
How do you plan on presenting yourself to the world?
Ngaatendwe: At this point, social media has been the biggest platform for us i.e. WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. That's where we've been getting the most attention. We did a photoshoot collaboration with Yanaya Lifestyle - a healthy food joint - to reach through the restaurant market.
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| Collaborative shoot - Yanaya Lifestyle and Guided Youth Zimbabwe, Harare. |
ZimSphere: Every new enterprise breaking the confines of artistic conventions faces some challenges. Have you conquered these? And how do you conquer them?
Kingstone: The biggest challenge we have faced, as also faced by other young creatives and entrepreneurs, has been that of [prejudicial] perceptions. People think you are not serious enough. We work with other older people [some being the parental generation] in the production processes and they really don't get our idea - to them it's about money, never the art.
Then the challenge of skepticism - people think it's all about drip, looking good or money but for us
our vision is bigger than all these metrics.
Our
solution, up to now, is simply sticking to the vision. The vision we had when we first met as co-founders. We are working with people who
are loyal to the vision. It's better that way. The universe responds to such manifestations. We don't want to forget the initial vision.
ZimSphere: Why is it important not to copy/mimic Western trends, the so-called "international"?
Sanders: We want everything to be relatable to Zimbabweans first before it goes outside. We don't want to copy, creating something that comes off as Italian or French. We want something rooted from Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans. We don't mind external markets - someone from outside buying our merch simply because someone understands the narrative, but the indigenous first.
Ngaatendwe: It makes sense that we show people it can be done locally, as we also address rural areas - we can show them that you don't have to come to Harare to keep up with trending American labels. It's all about inspiration - let's not copy America because sometimes they even get inspiration from us.
ZimSphere: What are your merch release cycles or patterns?
Ngaatendwe: I cannot say we have a specific pattern so far; we sometimes work with the calendar. For example we did the breast cancer awareness release because October is the month for breast cancer awareness, and the same goes for Everyday is mental health - mental health month. No specific cycle yet.
Sanders: We also work with seasons of nature in Zimbabwe - Summer and Winter - but also planning on a Fall release for the rainfall but it's basically Summer and Winter releases.
ZimSphere: Art is a noble calling yet always downgraded, condescendingly. But with this, what's your word to people whose conviction and purpose is Art?
Ngaatendwe: Art is everywhere - architecture is art - either you believe in art or you don't. The importance of art gives people therapy and forms of escape especially in this pandemic era. Art decisions have impact everywhere, for everyone. Art saves, anyone can do art.
That's that. Follow Guided Youth on social media platforms via the links below - #GuidedYouth #WearGuidedYouth #GuidedYouthZw:
IG - @wearguidedyouth
Twitter - @wearguidedyouth
Facebook - Guided Youth (clothing brand).
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