Zambia: Fashion Designer Charity Nyirongo Urges Zambia To Invest in Fashion To Revive Textile Industry

ZAMBIAN fashion designer Charity Nyirongo has called on the government to invest in fashion designing training institutions as the move has the potential to revive the collapsed textile industry. Speaking at the fourth edition of Hub of Africa Fashion Week held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the proprietor of Mo Creations and Couture brand, said the move would help revamp the local textile industry and enable local designers compete favorably at international level. “Zambia has the potential of producing internationally recognised designers as it has a lot of good and talented designers but local fashion designers lack good and indigenous materials for the couture industry hence are forced to import from other African countries,” said Nyirongo. “Investing in fashion designing can help revive our textile industry.” And Zambian Embassy counsellor for economics Linda Mbangweta, who was in attendance to support the local designer, said the event was a good platform to market Zambia and encourage local designers. She said the industry has potential to gobble in thousands of kwacha and contribute positively to the tourism sector and the economy. “This is a positive stride for the local designers as they exhibit traditional outfits on the runway and they exchange ideas and training skills with international designers,” said Mbangweta. Hub of Africa continues to push the continent as a competitive destination for business of the textiles, leather and fashion industry and creating a platform for African designers to market themselves on the international market. Nyirongo was among 15 competing designers from different African countries.