After releasing a pair of graphic tees in AW24, Suchi Nuchi went under the radar, working towards a rebrand.
Around SS24, a new logo appeared but still barely any pieces were dropped. Our fear at the time was that Suchi Nuchi had been swallowed by the beast that has taken plenty emerging brands – fatigue.
Thankfully, those fears have been pacified, with Suchi Nuchi’s first official drop of 2025. The collection is minimalistic, a return to the brand’s early days. One thing for sure, Suchi Nuchi is going back to the basics and making a somewhat humble return into the game with their Small Text Edition.
If you noticed, last year saw couple of brands that included Guided Youth and Stars 29 going minimalistic. From our findings, most brands took this approach in an effort to garner mass appeal in a brutal market.
Speaking to Mcheno and More, Shelton “Shella” Nhira, creative director of Suchi Nuchi concurs; “The main idea behind this Small Text Edition is that we wanted to accommodate everyone.”
The new collection features clean and minimalistic tees, popularly known as “garments” amongst the Ama2ks, with the new Suchi Nuchi logo. There’s also a crop garments variation for the ladies. One thing stands out about the Small Text Edition – quality. It’s like the fabric itself is whispering “We’re back and we mean business.”
Being a student at Chinhoyi University of Technology, Shella saw it fit to launch the Small Text Edition at the second edition of OutKazterz Fest on April 5.
Launched on March 15, the creatives-centered event has risen to fill a gap in the growing town; cultivating a community that appreciates fashion and art.
Debuting the collection at OutKazterz Fest was a masterstroke, as the brand showcased in front of a ready market – fashionistas looking for some hot homegrown fashion.
Shella believes events are the way to go for brands, as they allow for personal interactions with potential customers. “Fashion is part of the wider arts movement. Being present at these events lets us meet our people the music lovers, the creators and the culture shapers,” he shared.
The Small Text Edition marks a new era for Suchi Nuchi, being the first official collection with their rebranded logo. The initial logo was ripped off the internet, something unbecoming for a brand which turned two in March.
“We needed something of our own. That’s why we erased everything and started fresh,” explained Shella. The new logo is what drove Shella to dump graphic prints for a minimal design. Consider this is the brand’s way of easing us into the new era of no sensory overload but just clear and minimalistic style.
He describes this new direction to us, “This collection is simple and it carries both our brand name and our logo. That’s who we are now, that’s the message we’re sending.”
But don’t be quick to brand Suchi Nuchi a minimalist brand, 2025 has just started and we can expect more releases over the coming months. ”A winter collection is already in the pipeline along with more graphic-heavy pieces. If the Small Text Edition was the calm then best believe the storm is coming and it’s stylish,” revealed Shella.
He adds “This is just the beginning more is on the way. Think bigger prints, bolder designs, but always true to the essence of the brand.”
Now that’s what we like to hear! As Zimbabwe’s fashion industry trudges on, it is these homegrown brands that are defining what it means to be a designer. Endurance is a prerequisite.
With Suchi Nuchi, Shella has stuck to his guns and kept his baby alive. A new logo,elevated quality and a brighter vision; we can’t wait to see how the story unfolds. Our hope is that in the next decade, we’ll still be seeing Suchi Nuchi in the streets.
Order yourself some Suchi Nuchi pieces via Instagram , or directly on WhatsApp.
