World fashion, much like our lived reality, is built on Eurocentric ideologies, inconsistent with our inherent culture as a people. In Europe, it is envy that sells fashion.
One buys Gucci or Prada simply because they desire to feel better than everyone else; and they believe that piece is going to communicate that notion to everyone who they come across.
Contrast that with the way of life of in Zimbabwe. Our lives are centered around community, and it has been that way since our pre-colonial existence. No one is bigger than the other, everyone plays their role towards the achievement of one common goal.
In Zim fashion, some have found success by using the Eurocentric approach, leading many others to believe that is the way. But let’s be realistic, in the bigger picture this “success” ultimately means nothing. What good is your fashion or art if it alienates you from the people, your people?
It is in the best interests of designers, brands and the industry as a whole to build a community; not just among themselves but especially with their market. Thankfully, we have pioneers of the game who are making that a norm.
With over a decade in the game, Stars 29 started out taking a leaf from the European blueprint. Some of you might remember their SS16 release, white tees with a Stars 29 logo that took inspiration from Supreme. One thing remained distinctly (and thankfully) Zimbabwean about their approach — the value they placed on community.
Indeed, it is the power of the people that has taken Stars 29 from a clothing retailer operating out of Shop 29, Haddon and Sly Mall; to Bulawayo’s foremost streetwear brand.
Stars 29 closed off 2023 on a high note – with a Zim Hip Hop Award nomination for being one of the top brands supporting hip hop culture in the country. They kept the fire going in 2024, thanks to their SS23 drop, The Crayola Edition. The streets were buzzing off that one t-shirt.
Celebrities like Nitefreak, Kayflow and Holy Ten donned the piece for performances and appearances; whilst the Crayola tee became synonymous with the hottest Bulawayo events on the scene. From Garden of House to Hinde to Munch n Sip, Stars29’s presence has become testament to the cultural imprint that the brand is making on Bulawayo and the world.
As the year reached its nadir, Stars 29 had to feed the streets and give its loyal supporters an early Christmas present — The Tribe Collection. Comprising of two t-shirt designs plus five-panel caps, the collection has stamped Stars 29 as the people’s brand.
The t-shirts come in a plethora of colourways, giving customers variety. The design is minimalist and bold, using solid colors and chunky fonts to give a refined finish.
At the front of the t-shirts are only the initials of the brand “S29”. One tee has the initials in pocket size, while the other is emblazoned with a bigger “S29” done in a Tetris-like typeface.
The back of the t-shirt features a bold phrase – ’CULTURE IS THE NEW LUXURY’, a statement that speaks to the effects of this digital age we find ourselves in. In times like this, it is easy for foreign culture to infiltrate a people’s the way of living. There is value, therefore, in people remaining connected to their own identity and defining their own way of life; without any foreign influence.
Never one to hog the limelight, Stars 29 Creative Director Tino Mufudzi had given us an official press release when The Tribe Collection dropped.
At the time, we felt it would be an injustice to just inform our readers that The Tribe Collection had dropped. To us, the drop seemed like a fork in road, the beginning of a new era for Bulawayo and Zimbabwe fashion. In our defense, at the time; we just didn’t have the right words.
Six months after the release of the Tribe Collection, Mla (as he is affectionately known by most in Bulawayo) granted us a long overdue conversation that opened our eyes to Stars 29’s approach and why that should be Zim fashion’s standard. Enjoy!
Hie Mla, it’s been a while since our last sitdown. We just had to go back to your SS24 release, the Tribe Collection, seeing that it’s all over the streets!
(Laughs) Yeah, last time we chopped it up is when we got the Zim Hip Hop Award nomination. You’re telling me Stars 29 is in the streets like that? Wow, I’m humbled!
Of course! That “CULTURE IS THE NEW LUXURY” statement resonates across the nation. Why call it ‘The Tribe Collection’?
The reason why we call it the tribe, it’s about the community.
You know you can do whatever you want to do, but if you manage to create a community that feeds into it, that allows that idea to grow into the world, then I think it’s only right for you to give props to those people, you know.
So The Tribe Collection basically symbolises the amazing community that we have.
Truly, its community that has made Stars 29 the huge brand it is today. Would you describe the Stars 29 community as a niche?
Quite the opposite, we have a vast community. People from all types of backgrounds, people from all races, people from all cultures, people from all tribes, they all feed into this whole idea of Stars 29.
It’s a Zimbabwean, Malawian brand that’s definitely destined to take over the globe. But in doing so, we all need to have a tribe that we use to stay inspired and motivated.
You started off as a retailer, and you’ve grown into a fully fledged clothing brand? Are you happy with the direction Stars 29 has taken, and the impact it has made?
We’re not there yet but we are possibly further than we were years ago. So yeah, that’s another thing that also we are trying to work on. Continuing in this direction and increasing our impact.
Stars 29 has gained a strong presence at most Bulawayo entertainment event over the years. How have you managed to become a core part of entertainment culture in the city?
If there’s an event happening, say Garden of House or Hinde, our job will be selling tickets at our shop. But in selling tickets, you are also going to interact with the people that are coming to purchase the tickets.
Some people see Stars 29 in the streets, they do not know what it’s about but they know about the event. When they come through and you sell them a ticket, you get a chance to tell them the story behind the brand. Some people will come back and then buy our merch.
Also at these events that we work with, we have a brand placement arrangement whereby the Stars 29 logo will be somewhere on the stage screens. Whilst people are having fun at the event, they’ll just be seeing the logo there. Some people might be interested, and they just search for Stars 29 on social media.
So yeah, that’s how we have managed to capture that segment of the market. And the beauty is that it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement — the event gets to sell the tickets, we get to sell our merch, the people get to enjoy the event whilst rocking some Stars 29!
Would you say it’s that community which you’ve built that has kept you motivated?
Absolutely! At times I will be feeling low, maybe let’s say the sales are not going as expected, but then I’ll meet someone wearing one of our oldest designs and they’ll share the story of what it took for them to buy the merch.
There’s people who will come with five dollars this week, then next week five dollars, another week five dollars, until it gets to 35.
So for me, that’s what keeps me motivated. The tribe is a very important thing to me.
Going forward, are you going to be continuing on the Minimalistic path?
I have been watching a lot of vlogs from some of my favourite designers, like Bangy of a South African brand called Dead. At times I just get inspired by other brands’ approach, but it’s not like that’s where the direction of the entire brand is going.
So it’s not necessarily about the Stars 29 aesthetic, its more about, “for now this is what we’re going to give them.”
Just so you know, there is some heat that’s coming through. It might be different. It might be the same. Just wait on it.
Always ahead of the curve! We’ll definitely be looking forward to what Stars 29 delivers next.
You know it! Thank you for documenting the culture as always.
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In connecting with the people, Stars 29 is changing fashion culture in Zimbabwe one step at a time. Slowly but surely, customers are taking pride in homegrown fashion simply because they feel like they belong when they wear the merch. Our cultural identity and pride can benefit greatly from that shift in perspective in how we create, consume and critique fashion.
If you find yourself in Bulawayo, be sure to visit Shop 29 Haddon and Sly Mall to immerse yourself in the Stars 29 culture and join the community. Out of Bulawayo? Don’t worry, you can place your order online and receive your Stars 29 piece via their nationwide delivery service.
Since September 2022, Mcheno and More has worked tirelessly to capture moments that matter in Zim fashion, art and culture. Do you feel like there is an important milestone in Zim fashion, art and culture that we might have missed? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us so we can document the story.
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