Thembani’s first assignment

Thembani’s first assignment

By Showbiz Writer

Designer Thembani Mubochwa’s Elephant Dress initiative has reportedly mesmerised delegates at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora being held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The dress was afforded exhibition space at the conference that is running from September 24 to October 5 2016 at Sandton Convention Centre.

Mubochwa told Showbiz Monday that delegates were shocked at the initiative to merge fashion and wildlife conservation.

“I’m here as the ambassador of Zimbabwean elephants but my agenda is to push the elephant dress initiative showing the world what we are doing as Zimbabwean youth towards elephant conservation through our skills,” said Mubochwa.

“Delegates are so amazed with the concept where fashion meets wildlife. It seems to be something new; never seen before using fashion to bring awareness about wildlife conservation. The elephant dress design together with the message behind the dress has had people going.

“People are loving the dress and we are overwhelmed by the response especially when it comes to having selfies taken.”

Mubochwa was invited to travel along with the Zimbabwean travelling party by environment, water and climate minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri.

“The exhibition stand is strategically positioned such that everyone at the conference actually passes through the stand. By midday each day I would have taken thousands of pictures each day,” he said.

“I’m really enjoying the experience and it has boosted my passion about for. I’m seeing the need for more of such campaigns like elephant dresses; in fact I’m already working on the second edition of the elephant dress

“The minister asked me to come with the elephant dress and show the world what we doing as youth of Zimbabwe and as well to get exposure as Elephants Ambassador.”
Mubochwa was early in the year appointed as the Elephants Ambassador by Muchinguri-Kashiri as a way of conscientising the general public about the need and importance to conserve wildlife in general and particularly elephants.