‘I do struggle because I’m attracted to beautiful things, yet at the same time I am very aware, in some sense, their lack of value and that the most important things in life are your connections to other people.’ - Tom Ford.
A favorite quote to one of Zimbabwe’s most sought after Luxury Event Designer and Fashion Maven.
Craig Zoowie is a gentleman with an affinity for coffee, appreciation of good luxury and love for style. A Luxury Event Designer, Stylist & Grooming Consultant with a leading Luxury Event Management firm, VIP Hosting.
I’m sure anyone who’s had a chat with Craig knows he is a man of pizazz and expresses himself eloquently, I asked him to tell me a little bit about himself, the brand he has become and why he felt it was something necessary in Zimbabwe, check out his response below!
“Well, it’s been a process. I established a career as Hotelier, a Luxury Event Designer and that in itself was a way of branding my expertise and work experience. I've been fortunate to have people approaching me for consultancy, so I decided to align that with my passion for fashion and a business end goal. When it comes to who words or phrases that represent me as a person, I have an unapologetic pursuit of my passion, an obsession with seeking near perfection in my work and absolute loyalty to family and genuine friends.”
Listening to Craig speak, I could immediately tell that he is someone who would have great tips or pointers when it comes to overcoming obstacles along the way of our separate life journeys. Craig is someone who is genuinely afraid of mediocrity, being driven by the initiative to be the best at what he does. Feeling that Zimbabwe, in some aspects, has for far too long been comfortable with the ordinary. With that in mind, his outlook and sense of style, have been sought to define a level of discernment that's on par with global standards. In Event Design, execution above client expectations is key to setting the bar right up with the best in the world.
“Striving to be better than my last best job has driven me to great opportunities. I don't want to be ordinary, but I'm equally not afraid to stand out. I think this has helped me keep going even when circumstances are against me. Above all, a positive mindset is essential in all things in life, career and business pursuits.” – Craig Zoowie
It came as no surprise to me when Craig told me that his most immediate goal for this year, is to break into new markets. Recently in Namibia for Windhoek Fashion Week 2016, he described it as, “A unique experience in my first role as Creative Director of the Craig Zoowie Collection by T.Z.M Fashion House. After that debut collection, we have received more invitations for fashion shows in Nigeria and Ghana. So, there are leads for more breaks into the continent.
Adding on, “I'm engaging with Tiano Paris as a brand ambassador; these are paths which I'm sure will open up to bigger International ventures. Craig knows he is going all the way up. Expanding my skills, building up the Craig Zoowie Collection and consolidating my various fashion related enterprises. Event Design will certainly be my core focus, and the plan is to explore new aesthetics of luxury events that have a uniquely Zimbabwean identity.”
Craig’s inspiration to life and advice to others is, “Don't hold back who you are because you are afraid what people will say. Give everything your best effort and never compromise on quality.”
Adding on, his top three favorite books which might be of interest to some of you;
- Front Row: Anna Wintour: The Cool Life & Hot Times of Vogue’s Editor in Chief by Jerry Oppenheimer
- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Little Book of Luxury by Beyond Bespoke
As well as his top three social media influencers;
- Aleit Swanepoel - Founder of The Aleit Group, South Africa’s premier wedding, and events coordination consultancy. For Craig, they represent absolute luxury that inspires his brand and events.
- Bonang Matheba – Media Personality, Style Icon. Her unwavering attitude towards life and growing her brand is such an inspiration, and her Style is iconic.
- Sergio Ines – Coffee Loving Creative Director and the Editor of Menswear Blog What My Boyfriend Wore. His sense of Style always influences Craig’s lifestyle.
Craig signed off by reiterating that, influence for him emerges from shared values and perspective. It's more than just aspirational but has to drive inspiration in his work and life.
