Lorraine Maphala looks into the future

Lorraine Maphala looks into the future

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By Torby Chimhashu

AFTER finishing her reign which can best be described as dour, former Miss Zimbabwe, Lorraine Tsoanele Maphala has set up a fashion and design business as she looks at the other side of modelling.

Interestingly, she points to "massive" exposure during her 15 months attachment at the bungling Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), as the main driver of her ambitious project.

"I have no regrets whatsoever for having been Miss Zimbabwe. I did what I could during my reign. Everyone associated with the pageant was excellent.

"The exposure I got will be instrumental in marketing my business. Miss Zimbabwe turned me from young Maphala into a respectful and mature Maphala. I don't mean that I was never respectful," she told New Zimbabwe Monday as she reflected on her past and plans for the future.

The vivacious Bulawayo beauty queen, who is half-South African, has named her company MF14, meaning Maphala Fashions 14.

Ironically, the number 14 took her to fame but under a cloud on September 13 2003 when she controversially lost in the Zimbabwean Miss Malaika finals held in Harare.

She was wearing tag 14 and the crowd chanted her number during the eventful evening in which organiser and licence holder of the event then, Bright Matonga, had to publicly apologise for the "adjudication" blunder. Maphala was adjudged to have lost on the night.

"It's kind of funny that I had to think of that number 14 as part of the name of my business. I felt it reminded me of one of my darkest and happiest moments.

"The number has become part of my life although I am not superstitious," said Maphala.

When she won Miss Zimbabwe in 2005, Maphala incidentally was wearing number 14 but this time she was prepared for anything.

AT MF14, Maphala has put her energies on designs for top class people. She appears to have been influenced by the Zimbabwe government's 'Look East policy'.

She revealed that most of her designs will be Afro-Asian.

During her reign, Maphala did a lot of marketing for the ZTA with much emphasis placed on Asia where the ZTA still believes Zimbabwe is revered.

While a lot of flak has been directed at the ZTA following the manner in which they gate crashed into the affairs of the once popular pageant, Maphala believes gloss will return to Miss Zimbabwe.

"They (ZTA) are doing a good job. They need the support of the people. In my view, the Miss Zimbabwe Tourism has shown much promise," the lively model told us.

She, instead, pointed to a lull in the modelling industry where fashion shows have disappeared.

In her assessment, the country has a small modelling industry which has the potential to do well.

Yet many Zimbabweans will remember the achievements of shows such as Supermodel, Newbury Design of The Year and the Miss Zimbabwe pageant itself when it was still run by Kiki Divaris.

There was vibrancy in the small industry. Great names were produced in the same industry which today could be best described as an anthill which once sheltered a cobra.

People may still fear that there is a cobra when in fact, what the anthill contains, is just a memory.

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