Feature Tuesdays: Vuyi Chaza

It’s that time of the month again💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾 I think this has become my favourite time of the month; celebrating some inspirational and hardworking, oh and of course stylish plus size women. For this month’s feature, I ventured into the visual media realm and interviewed the breathtakingly beautiful and talented graphic designer, Vuyi Chaza. A very passionate woman who loves herself unconditionally and who is making crazy waves in the graphic design industry. Another cool thing about her? Well, for all the animé fanatics, here’s one other fan to acquaint yourselves with. Let me stop gushing, here’s her story.

Meet Vuyi

1. Who is Vuyi Chaza?

This is the most simple existential question I have ever read, lol! I guess I’m figuring a lot out but I’m becoming more comfortable in my skin as a multi-discipline artist and creative. I’ve had the privilege of working in different countries and getting inspiration from a lot of people. I haven’t quite decided what I want to do with it all, but I’m hitting my stride slowly but surely. Imposter syndrome doesn’t slap quite so hard anymore.

📸: Mati Chaza

2. You are a graphic designer. Tell us, what do you love about your craft?

So I’m a graphic designer and illustrator. I love being able to create something from nothing. Especially illustrations; you literally have the wide abyss that is a blank page and you have to create something beautiful that will resonate with people’s spirits. Or hearing someone’s vision for their business and making something that will represent their brand is very exciting. It can be excruciating when I have a block, but equally thrilling when I finish a project.

Some of Vuyi’s recent work

3. The design world is pretty competitive, yes? Does being a woman and plus size affect your place in it? What drives you to succeed in your industry?

I have never felt the adverse effects of being a woman OR plus size in this industry. I think when I first started, men would kind of just ignore me. I then started to gain more traction in my clients and my work started improving. Then I would get “mansplainers” or flirts, both of which I didn’t care for. So I just stayed in my lane and worked with people who were walking the same road as me. Sometimes even the men.

One of the many speaking opportunities Vuyi has had

4. What opportunities have you received in your field and what advice would you give to a woman who wants to become a graphic designer?

So so many opportunities. I wish that I could clearly explain how hungry the world is for an authentic female perspective that can interpret the world around us. I would say to other girls who want to enter the field to find women that inspire them and reach out. I can tell you for a fact that the women that inspire me like Fungi Dube Graphics and It’s Taffy would be more than happy to share their journey to where they are today.

One of Vuyi’s projects for beast cancer awareness

5. Does your faith play a part in how you view your body?

This is a triggering question. I’ve always been a big girl. I’m taller, heavier and curvier than most and it was weird being sexualised in places like the church. I suppose my body was more explicit than the slim girls. This was weird to me. So I used to ask God about that a lot like, “Where is the disconnect here? In all my thickness, I’m able to do the same sports, academics, have relationships as my slender counterparts, so why do I have to be so sexualised?” I think I held onto that verse in Isaiah that talks about how God knew me before I was born. He knew what my “struggle” would be and would give me the strength to work through it.

📸: Mati Chaza

6. Have you ever struggled with your weight and wanted to change how you looked?

Oh yes, definitely struggled with weight gain. There are a lot of factors involved including medical. One thing I’ve never been though is insecure. I like the way I look, I would just want to be healthy. Because of pre-existing conditions, and genetics, I would need to lose weight to stay healthy. But I work out regularly, I drink my water and mind my business. I wouldn’t change how I look.

📸 : Mati Chaza

7. What do you love most about your size?

I feel feminine and soft. I look great in clothes and there is no limitation to what I can do.

Vuyi wearing the doll swing dress by Riso Jeradi

8. One thing I love about you is that you love supporting local brands. What are your top 5 Zim fashion brands at the moment and what would you tell aspiring creatives/fashion designers?

Oh man, I had such fun last year discovering local brands. The white doll swing dress in my pictures is Riso Jeradi who I just love. The green cargo pants are Ric Chasers. And the floral dress is a thrift buy. I think local designers are great. They are very accomodating. For example, with Ric Chasers and Intricate Lifestyle, I just told them my size and they custom made the pants for me. Not only am I curvy but I’m also tall, so I needed long enough pants. I will always work with designers who make it easy for me. If there is anything I would tell aspiring designers is to accommodate plus sizes more.

Vuyi in green Ric Chasers cargo pants

9. Indulge us with your style and the items of clothing you love.

I’m on two extremes. I like streetwear and soft dresses. I hate corporate wear so I usually stick out in meetings, but my clients know what’s up. I’m a little bit of a sneakerhead but I love wearing heels too. So it’s a mixed bag.

10. Plus size shopping in Zim, what’s your opinion? Where do you find your gorgeous clothes?

I like to thrift a lot. For example, at the flea market, some people know me and will get clothes just for my size so that’s awesome. But I much prefer to support the local designers. So I will buy pieces here and there from different people. I can’t wait to see what lines come out this year.

11. For those who can’t get enough of you, where can they find you online?

Yesss, here are my handles:

Instagram
Twitter
Behance: Vuyi Chaza

**A special shout out to Mati Chaza for being Vuyi’s photographer 😉