Farai Simoyi was born and raised in Zimbabwe. Growing up she was surrounded by colorful fashion and creative people who didn’t have the money to buy new gear all the time, but they had enough imagination to make and upcycle their own funky styles. Simoyi learned to sew and picked up the infectious creativity of her friends and relatives who are all about doing it for themselves. Eventually, she landed in Brooklyn, New York, where she started to make a name for herself in the fashion world
Her first big break came when she was hired to design for the House of Deréon, the fashion line led by Beyoncé and her mother/stylist Tina Lawson. That break came courtesy of a design director who, originally from Ghana, set out to give “young black creatives a chance in the field,” something which has guided her approach in the years since.
She founded the Narativ in August 2017. It’s described as “a curated house of ethically sourced artisan brands from around the world known as The Narrators.” The Narativ embraces sustainability and ethics, two key elements that fashion needs more of.
Behind her, Simoyi has 15 years of experience designing and consulting for some of the most globally recognized celebrities with fashion brands and industry staples such as Beyonce, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Justin Timberlake, and Rachel Roy to name a few.
Following her impressive competitive delivery in the first season of the ‘Netflix’ fashion design competition series, ‘Next in Fashion,’ Simoyi continues her mission to provide access and visibility to global artisans and designers in the U.S. market.
