It would be an injustice to talk of the Zimbabwean creative renaissance and omit Marcus Zvinavashe.
Affectionately known as Energy Dokta, the 34 year old is widely considered a legend of the game, and he has quite the deserving resume. With an imprint in visual art and fashion, Energy Dokta has spent the past decade earning his stripes and building others up along the way.
Together with Nyasha Jeche, they combined their talents to create CaliGraph, a visual art business that has become the corporates’ go-to for murals.
In fashion, Energy Dokta has been a cog in the Skeyi and Strobo machine; working together to build the collective from a fringe undercurrent to Zimbabwe’s preeminent gathering of creatives.
And him being a walking moodboard, well that’s just Energy Dokta being Energy Dokta!
In creating a blueprint for fashion journalism in Zimbabwe, Mcheno and More started out as a mere observer; a fly on the wall. In doing our job of keeping a keen eye on the names and brands that matter in fashion, one peculiar thing stood out when it came to Energy Dokta.
Despite being a fashion designer himself, one would usually spot him in a rare thrifted piece or showing support to other brands. Occasionally, you would spot him in a piece that you couldn’t quite recognise – usually in black, and made from honeycomb fabric.
And if you were curious enough to ask, the best you’d get was a beaming smile and a, “Wait on it my brother, I’m working on something!” If your curiosity wasn’t satisfied, at least your eyes were impressed. What most didn’t know, though, was that Energy Dokta’s coyness wasn’t necessarily gatekeeping, but in fact foreshadowing.
Unbeknownst to the crowd, Energy Dokta was in the midst of research and development work for his own brand called Icatha; and those hard-to-recognise pieces were actually samples for a debut collection.
The big reveal came on 29 October 2024, on the final day of the second Fabrikans Convention. How appropriate. After a plethora of brands including Pezeculia, D.O.E, and The Homeless Kids had already wowed the crowd; the final brand was announced.
As the first model walked out, one could instantly notice the honeycomb fabric. What followed was a detailed monochrome collection of prestige pieces that not only impressed but also told a story.
‘Ubusuku’ is the Ndebele word for darkness, and the story behind the collection was that of a transition from dark times to better days. Some of the models walked out holding candles to represent guidance even in darkness; while others splashed grains of rice onto the runway, signaling abundance in better days.
The Ubusuku collection relied on black, white and hints of purple to explore a new frontier in storytelling using fashion.
Icatha’s debut offering is a limited collection – one-of-one pieces crafted to be unique, emphasizing the handcrafted nature of Icatha’s work. The slow and deliberate pace of creation was evident in the design and execution.
In the midst of the pressures of showcasing, Energy Dokta could not grant us an interview on the day of the event. He did, however, mention to us that the collection was a two year process of collaborating, learning and re-learning. Six months on, we decided to revisit the historic day with the Energy Dokta himself. During our delightful conversation with him, he reminisced on 29 October, broke down the Icatha concept to us, and also touched on the industry as a whole. Enjoy!
Energy Dokta! We finally get to sit down and look back on Icatha’s debut. Can you believe it’s been six months already?
It’s a pleasure to be here and finally find time to talk. The memories are still fresh in my head, time flies for sure (laughs).
Can you take us back to 29 October. Icatha comes last, your models are about to strut the runway. What’s going through your mind at the time?
At that time, it’s a cocktail of emotions! I am excited, uneasy and nervous at the same time. There is this expectation for all of it to go right, which it actually does.
I’m grateful to have worked with Leeroy Jawala of African Hippie on curating and styling the collection, because everything we had planned became a living reality and experience on the day.
When l imagine it in retrospect, it really felt like waking up to a beautiful dream, living it fully too and being engulfed in this cloud where all is love.
When all was said and done, how did it feel to walk out to a cheering crowd?
It was one of the most fulfilling and amazing moments for the entire year of 2024, it was literally love. I felt an overwhelming peace and joy that touched the core of my soul. It’s entrenched in my mind, spirit and soul as an iconic moment as far as life and living is concerned.
It took you almost two years working on the Ubusuku Collection. Most would’ve prematurely dropped the collection just to show they’re working on something. What inspired your patience?
l have always believed and understood that great things truly take a while. However iconic and timeless moments are a result of intention, excitement, collaboration, research, introspection, being diligent and working the process until you get your desired results.
The vision in all we do and work on is always to achieve it, hence patience is not just a virtue, it’s an ingredient for the process.
Most of the models for the Icatha showcase are fellow creatives who you have directly or indirectly helped along their journeys. Do you consider yourself a Trailblazer in fashion and art?
No, not a trailblazer. Rather, a vessel or bridge is what l would consider myself.
I am where I’m at because there have been a lot of people that have added, opened doors, poured unto me, held hands, showered blessings and opportunities. In that same measure with all this passing it forward continuously to be a desire, a self-mandate and goal to usher and share within the community I’m part of as it has been shared unto me.
When you were starting out, what was the biggest lack – something that you felt needed to be in the ecosystem. How has that changed over the time that you have been in the industry?
At some point in time there lay a gap in platforms and community, some of the key pillars and cornerstones needed to interact and intersect together. In so doing, this will enable a collective push; highlighting, growing and working together to create viability and reinvigorating the industry.
I must say, there has been significant growth in community over the years,and more platforms are opening up. However, there is still more work that needs to be done holistically.
Your work with the Skeyi and Strobo collective has contributed immensely to the progression of the industry. What do you see for the future Zimbabwean fashion, both as Icatha’s founder and as a part of the Skeyi and Strobo collective?
There is a future here. There is also work that needs to be done. There is a need for every player to be intentional about the industry we are building towards, and how it’s going to look and be like beyond us.
We have seen a worrying pattern of designers starting out strong but losing steam over time, with some even giving up on fashion altogether. Why do you think it’s happening like that, and is there a way to remedy it?
There could be a lot of factors that could be causing that. Support, finances, and sustainability to mention but a few.
As far as remedy, it’s not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ kind of solution. There are multiple ways to combat the phenomenon. Support in the form of finances, walking and working with someone on the business side of fashion, adding structure to the pursuit, and mentorship are a few solutions that I can think of.
It’s also important to take into account the fact that everyone’s situation is unique.
Can we expect anything from Icatha this year, or it’s going to be another long waiting period?
We are cooking, there is a lot we are already on too. Keep an eye on all our socials.
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For those who attended the second Fabrikans Convention, one image will forever remain etched in their minds — chants of “Go Marcus!” reverberating in the crowd as Energy Dokta did his designer walkout. The moment in itself was so visceral that after leaving the stage, Marcus had to come back for an encore plus an emotionally-charged speech that kept the crowd going.
Indeed, the Ubusuku collection by Icatha not only introduced a new chapter in fashion storytelling, but also solidified Marcus Zvinavashe’s place in the industry as a visionary whose work transcends fashion.
While most designers will be bursting at the seams to release pieces, mostly for the sake of a catalogue, Energy Dokta chose to wait. Rather have one brilliant iteration than ten mediocre attempts. These are the pioneers we should aspire to emulate when we earn our stripes in the game. Zim fashion is richer because of names like Marcus Zvinavashe and brands like Icatha.
You can stay updated to Icatha via their Instagram page, where you can also place an order for your own custom Icatha piece.
