Mimi Mars is set to bring music, star power and a touch of celebrity glamour to Zanzibar this weekend as she takes centre stage at the fourth edition of Rangi za Mora, the growing fashion and creative platform hosted at The Mora Zanzibar.
The singer will serve as the event’s Guest of Honour and performer when Rangi za Mora returns on Saturday, August 22, under the theme “Woven. Worn. Reimagined.”
Set to begin at 8pm, the fashion showcase will bring together a curated mix of designers and models from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, placing African creativity, fashion and culture against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean.
This year’s designer lineup includes Mnazi, Maridadi Collection, M2MOKO, Asili by Naliaka, Ully and Nyuzi, offering audiences a mix of creative voices and design perspectives from Tanzania’s evolving fashion scene.
But while the runway will remain at the heart of the evening, Mimi Mars’ involvement adds another entertainment dimension to the event, continuing Rangi za Mora’s approach of blending fashion with music, performance and lifestyle.
The fourth edition is also expected to attract figures from across the entertainment, fashion and creative industries, including Seven Mosha, Head of Sony Entertainment East Africa; George Beke of GeoBek Entertainment; Zulfa Yazid, Miss Grand Morogoro and Miss Africa Golden Tanzania 2026; and Chi Temu, who will bring her experience as an MC and vocalist to the evening.
The event has steadily grown beyond the idea of a conventional hotel fashion show.
Earlier this year, the third edition brought together designers, performers, models and guests in a celebration of Zanzibar’s cultural identity, using contemporary fashion as a way of reinterpreting the island’s African, Arab, Indian and Swahili influences. The edition also opened the experience to a wider audience, signalling a new chapter for what began as a more intimate resort showcase.
The fourth edition continues that trajectory
According to The Mora, Rangi za Mora is now in its fourth edition and brings together designers and models for an evening designed around fashion and festivity, with the wider experience extending beyond the runway to include dinner and an afterparty.
That broader format reflects the event’s growing identity as a lifestyle and cultural platform rather than simply a catwalk.
At its core, “Woven. Worn. Reimagined" speaks to the relationship between heritage and contemporary expression. Previous editions have explored how traditional materials, craftsmanship and cultural influences can be translated into modern silhouettes and fashion narratives.
The Mora has described the initiative as an evolving platform created to give emerging and established creatives space to be seen, supported and celebrated, while encouraging collaboration between designers, artisans, performers and the wider creative community.
For Zanzibar, a destination already globally associated with tourism, heritage and hospitality, Rangi za Mora also adds another layer to the island’s growing creative identity.
The event places fashion directly within the visitor experience, giving local and Tanzanian designers a stage that reaches both residents and international guests. A previous edition demonstrated how the runway can become a meeting point between fashion, performance and destination storytelling, with designers using fabric, texture and silhouette to reflect contemporary East African identity.
This weekend, that conversation will continue with a new lineup of designers and a new entertainment element led by Mimi Mars.
With Flightlink and Sun Tours & Travel among the sponsors, the event also brings together fashion, hospitality, travel and entertainment under one programme.
And as Mimi Mars prepares to step into her dual role as guest of honour and performer, Rangi za Mora’s fourth edition is shaping up to be more than an evening of clothes and catwalks.
It is another statement about where Zanzibar’s creative scene is heading, a space where local talent, contemporary African fashion, music and culture can share the same stage.
