The Standard (Zimbabwe)

SportsHub Mtengwa-Nyabvure basks in Pfeka apparel success

- BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE BY OWN CORRESPOND­ENT

WHAT began as a hobby for Netherland­s-based Telecommun­ications Engineer-cum-fashion designer Eglet Mtengwa-Nyabvure has blossomed into a big sports apparel brand in Zimbabwe and beyond the borders.

Establishe­d in 2018, the Pfeka clothing brand, has made several successful partnershi­ps with some of the country’s leading sportspers­ons and teams, as it continues to blossom in the cutthroati­ng fashion design industry.

At the moment Pfeka dresses the country’s top tennis players Benjamin and his brother Courtney Lock, as well as rising starlet Sasha Chimedza and has also designed sportswear for the country’s Davis Cup team for their recent internatio­nal assignment in Hong Kong and the ladies Under-21 team at the World Cup in Chile.

Pfeka is also the brand of choice for Team Zimbabwe UK football club as well as the Netherland­s-based Free Stars Netball team, Wassenaar Rugby Club in the Netherland­s, Benelux FC football club.

Mtengwa-Nyabvure’s brand has entered the design competitio­n introduced by the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee for the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony outfit for Team Zimbabwe.

The gifted fashion designers spoke about Pfeka’s journey to success.

“I am telecommun­ications engineer by profession, and the founder of Pfeka. The vision for Pfeka was born out of a personal quest for wardrobe authentici­ty and

ROYAL Elite Events Promotions is set to host an internatio­nal golf tournament, which will take place at three di erent venues in Dubai, United Arab Emirates later this month.

Dubbed the Royal Elite Classic Golf Tour, the event is being held in partnershi­p with a renowned sportswear company OG Classic and will run from April 25 – 28.

The chosen venues include The Els Club Dubai, Trump Internatio­nal Golf Club and Arabian Ranches Golf Club.

OG Classics works directly with global footwear giant Puma, who are committed to supporting sports events by providing sports gear to participan­ts.

The event will be a team event held in Ryder Cup format while representa­tion. As a profession­al working in the corporate world, I often found myself craving clothing that spoke to my identity and heritage, especially after relocating to Europe,” she said.

“Fuelled by the desire to fill this gap in the market, I set out to create pieces that blended modern aesthetics with traditiona­l African elements. The inspiratio­n behind Pfeka lies in my deep connection to Zimbabwe and its diverse cultural landscape. From the majestic Great Zimbabwe to the vibrant Ndebele patterns, each Pfeka garment is a testament to the beauty and resilience of Zimbabwean heritage.

“The journey of Pfeka began with a vision to redefine modern there will be lots of prices to be won.

After some success in sponsoring three school clubs in Zimbabwe, Royal Elite Promotions approached three golf clubs in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe to be part of the internatio­nal golf competitio­ns.

Competitio­n will be joined by 12 under-19 teams from three African countries.

Royal Elite Promotions and Puma through OG Classic will provide a platform for these teams to compete at internatio­nal level while preliminar­y competitio­ns will be held in their home countries and the successful teams will proceed to Dubai.

Royal Elite Promotions is the brainchild of Zimbabwe’s own Dr. Gallie Kawanzaruw­a, who went to Dubai in 2002 as a doctoral research student. fashion by infusing it with the essence of Africa, and it continues to evolve as a platform for celebratin­g identity and storytelli­ng through clothing. It was also my desire to make clothes that are valuable and are not disposed so quickly and for non-Zimbabwean­s to love and have as a souvenir as they carry the beautiful stories of Africa,” Mtengwa-Nyabvure added.

It is in the sports world that Pfeka has made a bigger impact since its establishm­ent and MtengwaNya­bvure is thrilled by how her brand has been embraced by such a key global sector.

“Pfeka’s journey into the sports sector has been a thrilling adventure, driven by our unwavering

Recently, she was joined by two talented Zimbabwean­s Royal Mabika, who has establishe­d himself as a half marathon runner with

ve trophies under his belt , as the events manager.

Talent Chivange also recently joined Royal Elite Events Promotion as public relations o cer.

Royal Elite is hosting two events between April and May, both in the United Arab Emirates, the other one being an internatio­nal football tournament.

In line with this globalizat­ion mission, Royal Elite will in future bring Emirati athletes to Zimbabwe to compete with sports teams there.

Royal Elite Promotions, apart from its sports bias, is also committed to internatio­nal cultural exchanges between the Emirates and Sadc countries. commitment to showcasing Zimbabwean identity on a global platform. Our designs are a celebratio­n of Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage, with each garment paying homage to iconic landmarks and traditions.

“We’ve had the privilege of partnering with prestigiou­s organizati­ons such as Tennis Zimbabwe, where we’ve had the honour of dressing both senior men’s teams and rising stars like Sasha. Additional­ly, our collaborat­ions extended to the Zimbabwe Under-19 ladies hockey team and the Zimbabwe senior netball team, the GEMS, providing them with distinctiv­e apparel for their internatio­nal campaigns.

“Moreover, we’ve had the pleasure of collaborat­ing with corporate companies for their corporate kits, and we’ve created beloved Team Zimbabwe supporter’s T-shirts for fans of the Zimbabwe national rugby team and the senior Zimbabwe football team.

“These partnershi­ps represent just a glimpse of our ongoing commitment to elevating Zimbabwean sports and fostering a sense of national pride through our distinctiv­e designs. We are honoured to work with such esteemed organizati­ons and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact in Zimbabwe’s sports sector,” she said.

Mtengwa Nyabvure is also excited about the opportunit­y to dress the Zimbabwean Team at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony after entering the ZOC design competitio­n.

“Participat­ing in the design competitio­n for Team Zimbabwe at the Olympics has been an incredibly rewarding journey for us. Drawing on our six years of experience in the industry and our proven track record of dressing winning teams on internatio­nal platforms, we are confident that our designs will stand out and capture the essence of Team Zimbabwe’s spirit.

“While we cannot predict the outcome of the competitio­n, we firmly believe that our designs embody the essence of Team Zimbabwe and will resonate with both athletes and fans alike. We are excited about the possibilit­y of our designs being selected as the winning designs, and we eagerly anticipate the opportunit­y to see Team Zimbabwe shine brightly in Paris.

“After all, as we firmly believe, the first win of an athlete showing up to compete is dressing well, and our designs are poised to boost confidence and inspire greatness,” she said. Pfeka clothing brand has a shop at Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare.

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