World Safari Day 2025: When Couture Met Conservation in Zimbabwe

This World Safari Day, 25 November, we transformed Hwange National Park into a runway of Zimbabwean creativity as we teamed up with award-winning local artists for a groundbreaking fashion photoshoot. The result? An extraordinary celebration of what emerges when safari, fashion, and culture collide.

“What does it mean to be Zimbabwean? It means a lot. It means I can be who I want to be and share with others the pride and love we have for this country. Something like this has never been done before, and everyone’s excitement made it even more special.” – Brenda, Waitress, Somalisa Camp

The Art of Safari: Fashion, Culture, and Creativity in Zimbabwe

Award-winning designer Victoria Manase created 17 couture garments inspired by traditional Zimbabwean patterns, textures, and styles, blending heritage with contemporary design. She was joined at Somalisa Camp by tailor Lazarus Maudia, photographer Brandon Tsandukwa, and makeup artist Gamu Manyika, transforming the camp into a hub of creativity and collaboration.

Couture gowns and tailored dress pants swept across the savanna as models balanced on towering termite mounds, reclined on dusty safari vehicles, and posed beneath the spindly canopies of acacia trees. Guided through Hwange National Park, the team transformed these sites typically reserved for sundowners and wildlife spotting into stages for a high-fashion tableau, with elephants lingering at waterholes as silent spectators. Couture gowns juxtaposed against trucks and rifles, while iconic landscapes and wandering wildlife framed each shot with unmistakable Zimbabwean majesty.

For three days, 17 of our staff – including guides, chefs, hosts, waitresses, and maintenance workers – stepped forward as models. Prior to the photoshoot, Manase spent months getting to know each person, taking measurements, and learning their stories so each garment reflected their individuality.

“It was amazing to feel like a woman again, to step out of the uniform and embrace my femininity. In this setting, people could see me beyond my role at work; they see me as human. My outfit speaks of royalty, strength, and beauty.” – Ivy, Camp Manager, Somalisa Camp

As the final frames were captured on the last day, Manase revealed a special gift: each participant got to keep their bespoke garment. It was an emotional tribute to the joy and courage that each person poured into the project.

DISCOVER THEIR STORIES

Meet the Zimbabwean Artists Behind the Project

Beyond the Photoshoot: Identity and Empowerment

The photoshoot was a first for many of our staff: their first time in front of the camera, their first time wearing couture, their first professional makeup experience. Yet beyond the novelty, it was a profound act of self-expression and a celebration of Zimbabwean identity.

Among the models were graduates of African Bush Camps Foundation’s Women in Tourism Program, which supports women from underserved communities with the tools to succeed in hospitality.

“This project showcased the talent and creativity of Zimbabwe in a way that truly empowered our team. It was inspiring to watch our colleagues engage with the process, share their stories, and celebrate their culture.” – Beks Ndlovu, Founder and CEO of African Bush Camps

This World Safari Day, we put Zimbabwe’s people, stories, and creativity at the forefront, showing that conserving Zimbabwe means conserving its culture just as fiercely as its wildlife.