Marcus Zvinavashe’s imprint, Icatha, debuted at SSFabrik Party Convention 2024; showcasing the Ubusuku Collection.
The brand itself had been conceptualized two years prior to that historic Fabrik Party Convention showcase; and on debut, it showed that Energy Dokta had took his time. In May 2025, another crowd got to witness the brilliance that is the Ubusuku Collection; at the Victoria Falls Food and Wine Festival.
Almost a year from debut, the Ubusuku Collection continues make impact. In early August, Icatha marked its first runway showcase outside Zimbabwe—at the Luju Festival in Eswatini.
In its seventh edition, the Standard Bank Luju Festival has grown to become one of the events to look forward to on Eswatini’s entertainment calendar. The annual event is a celebration of African creativity, fashion, music and cuisine; attracting over 10,000 attendees from over twenty African countries.
Designers from across Eswatini we’re given a platform to shine at the Mastercard Runway this year—House of Dandy, Black Degree, Crotchet by Selu, Ruff Cut, Kayses Creations, Kotini Kouture and Rose Peti. Brands from across the region also featured; including Thethana from Lesotho, Xigubo from Mozambique, and of course, Icatha from Zimbabwe.
From the onset, Icatha’s runways have been a marvel to watch, going beyond the literal showcasing of clothing design and incorporating some captivating storytelling. If Icatha’s runways are stories, then Luju Festival was Ubusuku Collection: Chapter 3.
As we were busy predicting what SS25 holds for Zim fashion, Energy Dokta was already setting the tone in Eswatini. The same weekend the season began, another chapter of the Ubusuku Collection was being told.
As soon as Energy Dokta landed, we had to play our part and write this chapter of the Ubusuku Collection into the history books. Below is the excerpt of our conversation; which touched on the showcase, the chapters and the journey. Enjoy!
Welcome back Energy Dokta! How would you describe the overall experience of showcasing Icatha at Luju Festival?
Great to be back home after such a memorable journey!
It was such a beautiful and fulfilling experience. Honestly, awesome is the best word. It gave me a different way of looking at and appreciating the work. Each time we showcase, the work extends it’s life and it evolves.
It feels so complete and rewarding to have exhibited three chapters of the Ubusuku Collection— first at Fabrik Party, second in Victoria Falls and now in Eswatini.
You mentioned that you showcased the third chapter of the Ubusuku Collection at Luju Festival. Can you take us through the evolution of the chapters?
The first chapter, Seeking and Finding Light, was about navigating darkness and slowly crafting light through experimentation.
The second, Overflow, was about abundance. This is what we presented in Victoria Falls in May, which symbolically aligned with the waterfall’s constant flow.
The third, ‘Siyembula manje, Indlela mazikhanye,’ which means ‘may our ways continue to be brighter,’ is about clarity, precision and carrying our voice confidently onto regional stages.
Each chapter is tied to its environment, revealing itself in due time.
The Ubusuku Collection feels like an ongoing series. Will it ever end?
At this stage, Ubusuku is less of a single collection and more of a living series with different episodes. It may feel like one long chapter, but it’s really an evolving narrative.
Whether we move on from Ubusuku or stay with it depends on where the process takes us. I don’t want to preempt too much. I believe in allowing the work to reveal itself over time.
You have always collaborated with stylists for your runways showcases. Who did you collaborate with for this Luju showcase?
For the first collection, we worked with the African Hippie Collective on styling and runway direction.
For the Victoria Falls show, I also had the support of African Hippie on styling, while Machuma Accessories provided the the accessories.
For Luju, we collaborated with D.O.E., an amazing designer in her own right. I love how intentional she is with her work and her approach to storytelling.
Collaboration, for me, is vital as it extends the story, deepens it and gives the work new interpretations beyond my own vision.
Take us back to the audience’s reception of the Ubusuku Collection at Luju Festival?
The reception was beautiful. The feedback we received, both at the festival and back home, has been so encouraging. People reposted, shared and spoke about it with love. Even the headline designer at Luju complimented the collection, which was very humbling.
The response has made us hungrier to keep creating, to keep showing up. There’s so much more we want to explore time will tell how those stories unfold.
It took you two years to introduce Icatha to the people. In less than a year, you’ve gone regional! Can you sum up the journey?
The journey has been a combination of grace, intentionality and my creative background. I have worked across many spaces—curatorial, conceptualizing, mural work, fashion and art.
All those experiences feed into Icatha. Building a brand requires you to know how to interpret and execute ideas, and to create intentionally.
Honestly, some of it wasn’t planned it fell into place because I gave the ideas time and resources to grow. That’s where grace comes in.
Luju celebrates African creativity and heritage. How does Icatha align with that vision, and how did Ubusuku bring it to life on the runway?
Storytelling is at the heart of Icatha. As Africans, storytelling whether through folklore or oral traditions has always been how we pass knowledge and preserve culture. With Icatha, every garment is intentional, every fabric carries meaning.
For example, the Ubusuku Collection used a honeycomb fabric, paying homage to the collective effort it takes to create just like it takes many bees to make a honeycomb, it takes a community to build Icatha. We are intentional about honoring where we come from, immortalising our stories through fabric and creation.
Icatha isn’t just about my story but it’s about interpreting the stories that have lived within us since time immemorial and carrying them forward.
To conclude, how does this moment pay homage to the collectives you are a part of, the collaborators you work with and the community you have built?
Honestly, it takes a village to raise a child. I may have the vision but Icatha exists because of so many people who are collaborators, supporters, constructive critics and the broader creative community.
Many thanks for the continued work by Skeyi&Strobo for connecting and facilitating for us as Icatha to showcase at the Luju Festival, more so having us represent the Fabrik Party community at large. Also, the Luju Festival team thank you for giving us the platform to tell our stories.
Icatha stands because of this fabric of support. Over time, we have found each other, encouraged each other, and built together. That spirit of community is what keeps us going, growing and showing up.
[End of expert]
At Luju Festival, Icatha proved that Zim fashion can stand boldly on regional and global stages; carrying stories that are as intentional as they are beautiful.
We have pioneers like Marcus Zvinavashe to thank for digging away at the shallowness that has been associated with fashion for as long as most can remember. Because of brands like Icatha, Zim fashion’s future is edging towards a richer future, in all possible aspects.
