Close your eyes and take a moment to imagine a vibrant Zim fashion industry – homegrown brands are worn with pride and designers are living off their talents. If acted upon, this vision will become our reality.
This hypothetical, although imagined by many, is executed by a few. For 43 year-old Buhle Moyo, it became the spark that ignited an idea for IF-Acted, a brand he founded in February 2024. It all started with a lingering question that he would ask himself — ’What if I acted like I knew what I was doing?’
And the past year has been an attempt at answering that question.
Although the official launch date was just over a year ago, IF-Acted is the result of a years-long effort whereby Moyo built the brand’s foundation in the background. As we began our conversation, a reserved Moyo recalled how he kept the idea inside his mind whilst digging the ground deep enough for the roots to hold firm before planting the seed. Moyo knew that he belonged in fashion industry but had to wait for the right moment before the jumping straight into the game.
“Being a creative, I have always known that I would be involved in fashion somehow, I just gathered the courage to start last year. Let’s just say the delay was due to procrastination,” he explained.
At the heart of IF-Acted is a simple but powerful mission—’For Effective Wear’. IF-Acted pieces are not just clothing for clothing’s sake; but fashion that works, speaks and frees the wearer. While most brands have chosen to specialize in specific styles, IF-Acted cuts across styles. It defines itself as a fluid brand that exists for the customer, as Moyo described;
“We make anything, from simple streetwear to elegant gowns. The focus is on the end user—what stories do they want to say without speaking? IF-Acted then gives that voice and ultimately it is about comfort, style and uniqueness.”
It shows that Moyo is carving his own unique path, opting for gradual growth where you built things solidly without cutting corners. So, if you are imagining a full working space buzzing with assistants and production lines then hold that thought.
IF-Acted is powered and operated by Moyo himself, from designing, pattern-making, sewing to branding. “It’s just me for now but that allows every piece to be intentional. There is no assembly line here it’s heart and hustle,” he said.
That hustle is evident in how the brand has grown through word of mouth, meaningful collaborations and a mindset that celebrates every tiny win “Even the smallest victory gets a full dance party! That joy fuels the next step,” remarked Moyo.
In a time when fashion brands rise and fall like Instagram trends, IF-Acted has found its rhythm by avoiding the noise. “We stay in our lane. We respect others. And we celebrate everything,” he commented.
When asked what sets IF-Acted apart, Moyo gave a refreshing take on competition, instead choosing to pit the brand’s core values against its execution. “We do us. That’s enough. It’s not about outdoing anyone. It’s about showing up as your truest self, consistently. People notice that,” he explained.
Resolute and passionate, Moyo views and promotes the brand as an already made out name in the industry. His description of his creation is, “IF-Acted is beyond Zimbabwe and Africa, it is an international brand that the world has been waiting for, with fresh looks and exceptionalism in it’s stride. Most people will see that soon. Many will jump on board.”
This is the kind of conviction you do not hear often, but when you do you are drawn to believe it. And the proof is in the pudding, anyways.
Over its first year, IF-Acted has already worked with high profile names like filmmaker David Chimusuro, songstress Chido Machanzi and content Teezy the Comedian.
On top of that, the brand has already broken into mainstream fashion at just over a year old. IF-Acted was supposed to showcase at the 2024 edition of the Zimbabwe Fashion Week which was unfortunately cut short just two days in.
Regardless, they are now one of the first few homegrown brands on the Hunhu Colectiv platform, a webstore that is the brainchild of the Zimbabwe Fashion Week Trust. The brand also featured on the runway at the Reggae Flavas show in December 2024.
This is all from just two collections under the brand’s name – the first one a soft leather collection and the second inspired by nature and seeking oneness with it.
IF-Acted is already working on a new collection and only confirmed its coming by giving us a teaser of what to anticipate. ”It’s coming and it promises to be amazing. The inspiration is genuinely from somewhere deep within, I seem to come alive when I create outfits.” Moyo divulged.
From a lingering question to a rising fashion brand, IF-Acted is proof that authenticity, patience and purpose if combined can carve out a powerful space in Zimbabwe’s fashion scene and beyond. Buhle Moyo’s journey shows that great ideas do not need a loud debut but they need deep roots and a whole lot of heart.
With just two collections the brand has already made it’s mark, proving that growth does not need to be fast to be impactful.
You can you get your IF-Acted pieces, custom or from the collections, through the Hunhu Colectiv platform or directly from the Creative Director himself.
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