Colourful new Zimbabwean culture fashion brand ZimXcite has announced new several international merchandising deals with local creatives under its Zim Arts division, a move that will see artists selling their works to global markets.
Established by Zimbabwean singer-songwriter, marketing consultant and film composer Ryan Koriya in early 2020’s tumultuous spin, ZimXcite started shipping all sorts of fun Zim words and phrases printed onto t-shirts, hoodies and mugs to help strike up interesting conversations about the Southern African country’s great land and its vibrant culture.
The development, exclusive for those in the arts sector, will be a major boost, financially, to artists who were affected by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The assortment of products on offer includes stunning artwork on canvas or on framed wall art, plus branded merchandise items like clothing, mugs, stickers, backpacks, laptop/phone cases, tote bags, jewellery, pillowcases and even blankets.
“A proliferating list with all-round creatives, among those who can now enjoy an international reach through the Zim Arts online shop are musicians Kelly Rusike, DJ King Her, Amy and the Calamities, Batsirai Shasha, Flying Bantu, wildlife photographer Tom Varley, Lemington Muzhingi (pencil artist), Karin Annan (painter), Derwin Graphics (pen artist/illustrator), as well as authors Brad Pohl and Hayden Eastwood, the latter who has written two books on learning how to speak Shona,” a statement from Koriya reads.
There are also comedians and Zimbabwean films in the initiative, including “A Township Story”, a forthcoming film by Sydney Taivavashe, the director behind the Pan African Film Festival award-winning movie, Gonarezhou.
“Now going beyond just sharing Zimbabwean-inspired humour, trivia and culture, the label is not merely in the business of selling a range of high-quality merchandise, but also promoting a fun spirit of inclusion, global diversity and is spotlighting Zimbabwe as an attractive holiday destination with its diverse cultures and trailblazing creatives,” Koriya said.
The international market and Zimbabweans in the diaspora are ZimXcite’s prime market focus. Products are currently shipping to The United States, Canada, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, China, Japan, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Europe and Scandinavia.
People can even order on the site and have the products delivered straight to a loved one. A perfect international hands-off process for gifts aimed at homesick Africa-lovers abroad.
Meanwhile, Ryan Koriya, who is a long-time musician himself, has released his own hoodie collection dubbed the Musician Emotions Architect via an identical deal on ZimXcite.
Personalised for all types of musicians around the world, it is also a nod to those who play ethnic instruments such as the mbira and marimba amongst the more widely played orchestral and band instruments including drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, piano, trumpet, violin and harmonica.
“Artists are like architects for one’s emotions. Being able to affect and manipulate sights and sound in order to evoke a range of desired feelings or moods within the audience. My brand new hoodie range for artists highlights the architectural and technical aspects of a creator’s abilities.
Customised for a variety of musicians, including singers, guitarists, pianists, dancers, music producers and all the instruments of a traditional orchestra, Emotions Architect Hoodies are available in Black, Navy, Maroon, Red and Dark Heather, and come with over 40 music titles to choose from,” said Koriya.
A suiting collection as Ryan is a film composer (he scored Cook Off, the first Zim film to make it to Netflix) he creates music to be performed by a wide array of musicians and orchestra members.
People can also buy a hoodie gift voucher for their artist friends who can then select their preferred size and colour. Musicians all around the world can order a hoodie using the special launch discount that is valid for the month of March 2021 on ZimXcite.com
