Farai Simoyi Explained

Farai Simoyi
Birth Date:1 October 1983
Birth Place:London, United Kingdom
Known For:Fashion design
Education:West Virginia University, USA

Farai Simoyi (born 1983) is a British–Zimbabwean fashion designer,[1] [2] television personality,[3] educator, and entrepreneur.[4] [5] She appeared on the first edition of the fashion design competition series Next in Fashion in 2020.[6] [7]

Early life

Farai Simoyi was born on 1 October 1983 in London, England. She lived her early childhood in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she attended early primary education at Groombridge Primary School before moving to West Virginia in the United States of America. She completed her primary and secondary education in the USA before proceeding to West Virginia University. She attained her Fashion Design & Merchandising degree at West Virginia University and studied design at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan, Italy.[8]

Career

Farai Simoyi began her career in fashion design in 2005. Over the years she rose to prominence through designing and consulting for celebrity brands, which include Beyonce, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Roy, Anne Klein, and Robert Rodriguez.[9] [10]

In 2010 she debuted her brand Farai Inc[11] at New York Fashion Week 2010,[12] where she was identified as a ‘Breakout Designer’ by Time Out New York,[13] [14] She then went on to establish The Narativ House in 2017 which houses ethically sourced artisan brands[15] from around the world with an emphasis on sustainability and traditional craftsmanship through human-centered design.[16]

Television

In 2007, Simoyi had her television debut on TLC’s design competition series I’ve got nothing to wear. In the series, design contestants were paired up with a client that had an entire closet of clothes yet still complained, “I’ve got nothing to wear”. The designers would invade the closets of their clients and pull garments with plans to upcycle them into new, revived garments.[17] Simoyi's second television appearance was in 2020 when she appeared on the first season of the Netflix fashion design competition series Next in Fashion in 2020.[18] [19] She was the only African on the show which featured eighteen international designers.[20] On the show, Simoyi was partnered with an American fashion designer, Kianga "Kiki" Milele.[21] The two designers worked with each other at The Nicki Minaj Collection. The designers appeared in 5 episodes and exited after the 5th episode.[22] [23]

Academia

In 2020, Simoyi became the Program Director & Professor of B.S. Fashion Design and M.S. International Fashion Design Management for the Kanbar School of Engineering & Design at Thomas Jefferson University. Simoyi launched one of the first undergraduate 3D Virtual Fashion Design curriculums in Philadelphia, utilizing software such as CLO3D.[24]

Volunteering

In 2022 Simoyi became a Fashion Scholarship Fund Equity Committee member in partnership with the Virgil Abloh "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund. The Fashion Scholarship Fund Equity Committee works directly with the country's most talented young students from diverse backgrounds and awards over $1 million each year in scholarships to help students succeed in all industry sectors, including design, merchandising, marketing analytics, and business strategy. Simoyi is also an advisory board member for the Council for International African Fashion Education (CIAFE) representing North America and board member for the Philadelphia Fashion & Garment Industry Task Force (PFGITF).[25] [26]

Awards and recognition

Notable positions

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zimbabwean Designer Behind Nicki Minaj's Fashion Line; Farai Simoyi. Farai. Gundan. Forbes.
  2. Web site: How a New Generation of Black Fashion Designers Are Reclaiming the Industry. Other Suns. 10 July 2020 .
  3. Web site: Next in Fashion: meet the designers. Radio Times.
  4. Web site: The Narativ House x Brooklyn Kettle. Black-Owned Brooklyn. 30 September 2021 .
  5. News: Zimbabwe fashionista on Beyonce. BBC News .
  6. Web site: 'Next in Fashion' is entertaining, but problematic. Brendon. Cho. 2 February 2020. The Michigan Daily.
  7. Web site: Next in Fashion's Eliminated Designers On the Fight for the Soul of Streetwear. 3 February 2020. Jezebel.
  8. Web site: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Farai Simoyi. Youth Village. ZW. 14 April 2015. Youth Village Zimbabwe.
  9. Web site: This Brooklyn Entrepreneur Opened A Boutique Spotlighting Designers From The Diaspora. 24 October 2020 .
  10. Web site: Farai Simoyi: Fashion Entrepreneur You Need to Know. Starrene Rhett. Rocque. 17 September 2020. American Urban Radio Networks.
  11. https://www.bronzemagonline.com/hightlights-of-farai-simoyis-ss12-nyfw-runway-show/
  12. Web site: All out at Farai Simoyi. 25 November 2010.
  13. Web site: Farai Simoyi's Spring/Summer 2012 Collection. VIBE Vixen. Staff. 19 September 2011. 3 January 2023. 3 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230103154034/https://www.vibe.com/features/vixen/farai-simoyis-springsummer-2012-collection-260717/. dead.
  14. Web site: Farai Simoyi Presents Her Fall Collection At The AFWNY tagged Bohemian Luxury Travels to Africa, Europe, & New York. 6 July 2012 .
  15. Web site: Bed Stuy's The Narativ Provides a Platform for African Artisans To Tell Their Stories. Nadia. Neophytou. Brownstoner. 12 January 2021 .
  16. Web site:
    1. LadyCreative: Meet Farai Simoyi, CEO & Founder of The Narativ House – Leading Ladies Africa
    .
  17. Web site: Q & Africa | Farai Simoyi. Adiree. Company. 25 April 2020 .
  18. Web site: Every Contestant From 'Next In Fashion' Deserves Your Attention. Shannon. Carlin. www.refinery29.com. 18 October 2019 .
  19. Web site: 'Next in Fashion' on Netflix: Where To Buy All the Contestants' Collections. 5 February 2020. Newsweek.
  20. Web site: Next in Fashion's Best Moment is a Window Into Fashion's Race Problem. Kevin O'Keeffe Thursday 30 January 2020 at 3:00 am. EST. 30 January 2020. primetimer.com.
  21. Web site: Behind the Runway with Kianga Milele and Farai Simoyi | Black America. www.youtube.com.
  22. Web site: The 8 most controversial fashion moments of 2020, so far. Melchi. Anyinsah-Bondzie. Insider.
  23. https://www.fastcompany.com/90460529/farai-simoyi-from-netflixs-next-in-fashion-weighs-in-on-that-controversial-streetwear-episode
  24. Web site: Farai Simoyi Becomes Director of Fashion Design Program at Thomas Jefferson University – Haute Fashion Africa (HFA). 4 October 2020.
  25. https://phillystylemag.com/farai-simoyi-brings-style-to-philadelphia
  26. Web site: A Designing Woman. magazine.jefferson.edu.
  27. Web site: BHM: Fashion's Next Best Designers. 29 October 2020 .
  28. Web site: Top designer Farai Simoyi and Taps Mugadza among shortlisted nominees for Zim Achievers USA awards. Sir. Nige. 18 August 2018.
  29. Web site: 20 Most Influential African Women Entrepreneurs.. 16 January 2016.
  30. Web site: 33. Farai Simoyi – GC4W Top 100 Women in the World.. 27 July 2017.
  31. Web site: Zim fashion designer joins Bonang, Beyonce in top 100 list. B-Metro. 2 December 2018 .
  32. Web site: Ladybrille's 20 Influential African Women Entrepreneurs & Leaders in America to Watch in 2016 – Innov8tiv. 11 January 2016. innov8tiv.com.
  33. Web site: Ten Zimbos Up for Africa Entertainment Awards USA. Nyasha. Jeche. 20 August 2015.
  34. Web site: Nicki Minaj designer set for Zimbabwe Fashion Week UK. Nehanda. Radio. 30 June 2015.
  35. Web site: NY NOW Announces Winter 2020 Market Happenings and Agenda | NY NOW. Jenn. Giachinta. 31 January 2020. nynow.com.
  36. News: Meet Designer Farai Simoyi | NY NOW. Jenn. Giachinta. 10 October 2019. NY Now.
  37. Web site: START by WGSN | Introducing Farai Simoyi. www.youtube.com.

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