Fashion has always been deeply personal for AmaLinda. From exploring the vibrant fabric stalls of Harare with her mother, Linda, to creating her very first collection at age 16, her journey into style was rooted in love, creativity, and family encouragement.
Though she temporarily stepped away to pursue child psychology in the United States, her passion for design remained alive in her private sketches. Following the loss of her mother in 2024, AmaLinda channeled her grief into purpose, establishing Lin Couture as a living tribute to her mother's belief in her. Here, she opens up about her creative evolution, her Zimbabwean heritage, and what it means to craft gowns with "A Touch of Lin".
GLAMOUR: You first fell for fashion through modelling as a child. When did your curiosity shift from wearing clothes to wanting to make them?
AmaLinda: My curiosity about fashion began to evolve when I was in Grade Four and it stayed with me throughout high school. I became fascinated by the process of making clothes, starting with something as simple as learning different stitches. I loved experimenting with beautiful colours, exploring fabrics and discovering how the right combination could come together to create something special.
I still remember the excitement of making my first dress. It was a simple house dress but to me, it was so much more than that. I was incredibly proud of myself because I had created something with my own hands.
Also, Project Runway also played a significant role in nurturing that curiosity. I was completely obsessed with the show, fascinated by how designers could transform an idea into a finished garment. Watching the creative process unfold made me even more interested in what was possible beyond simply wearing clothes.
Looking back, that period was the beginning of my journey from appreciating fashion as a model to discovering my own voice as a designer.
GLAMOUR: Your mother, Linda, took you to Chinhoyi Street and Cameroon Street in Harare. What do you remember seeing, touching or smelling there, and how did those places shape your eye for fabric?
AmaLinda: What I remember most about Chinhoyi street and Cameroon Street is the energy. V Harare has always had a certain hustle and bustle, a spirit of people working hard, creating opportunities and finding ways to make things happen. That drive is particularly evident in its fashion district, where there is a constant movement of people, fabrics, ideas and possibilities. Growing up around that environment I think I absorbed more than I realised at the time.
I remember the smell of fresh fabrics particularly Linen and the feeling of running my hands over different textures, imagining what each piece could become. There was something so exciting about seeing fabric not simply as material, but as the beginning of something beautiful. I was drawn to the way the shops displayed their fabrics, how colours were grouped together, how the mannequins were dressed, and how certain fabrics moved differently from others. Even then, I was beginning to understand that fabric has its own character.
I was also fortunate to learn from shop owners and assistants who would share their knowledge about different materials and their uses. I began to understand which fabric holds shape, which worked beautifully for gathers and which were better suited to a particular silhouettes. Those little conversations became an informal education in textiles.
Looking back, those trips with my mother, Linda were about so much more than buying fabric. They taught me to observe, to touch, to ask questions and to appreciate the possibilities within every material. They helped shape my eye as a designer and gave me an appreciation for the craftsmanship behind a garment. In many ways my relationship with fabric began there, in the heart of Harare long before I fully understood what it would mean to me.
GLAMOUR: You made your first collection at 16. What did it look like, and what would you say to that girl if you saw it today?
AmaLinda: I created my first collection for Mr and Miss Interact. I have always been obsessed with gowns, in all their forms. The gowns were quite striking for their time. I was experimenting with draping and sheer fabrics, elements that were not as commonly embraced in the way I was using them then. I would describe the aesthetic as modestly sex a balance between sophistication, femininity and just the right amount of daring. The collection featured black, navy, white and turquoise blue, with each colour bringing its own character to the gowns.
Recently, I rediscovered that very first collection and it has been such a special moment for me. I am looking forward to showcasing it as part of Lin Couture’s fifth anniversary celebration. There is something incredibly meaningful about revisiting the work that marked the beginning of your journey especially when you can see how far you have come since then.
If I could speak to that 16 year old girl today, I would tell her she did well. She had a vision, a goal and the courage to pursue them. I am proud of her because she laid the foundation for what Lin Couture would become. In many ways, she set the pace for everything that was to come.
GLAMOUR: Tell us about the day you got your first sewing machine. What did that gift say to you about how your mother saw you?
AmaLinda: My mother never doubted that I could become something great. She saw a vision in me even before I fully understood what I was working towards. I remember my first sewing machine vividly a black, hand crank machine that stayed with me throughout high school. I can still picture it on the table with my mother shouting “AmaLinda I got you a sewing machine”
That machine was more than a gift, it was an investment in my dreams. It told me that she believed in my ability, respected my passion and was willing to nurture what she saw growing in me. She encouraged my drive, prayed over my ambitions and blessed the journey ahead.
There is something truly beautiful about the moments when a parent sees you in that way when they recognize your potential, believe in your vision and nurture your dreams before you fully understand what you are capable of. Looking back my mother recognised who I could become before I fully saw it myself. She didn’t just support me, she saw me!
GLAMOUR: You went on to study child psychology in the United States. What drew you to that field, and did you ever think fashion had been left behind?
AmaLinda: I was fascinated by the developing mind and how our experiences shape who we become which drew me to study child psychology in the USA. During that time I thought I had left fashion behind although I was still modelling and remained connected to the industry.
I think there is a difference between wearing art and being an artist. Fashion is a vulnerable space because you are putting a part of yourself out there for the world. Being part of New York Fashion Week and witnessing other designers bring their vision to life alongside the energy of major Fashion Weeks slowly reignited my love for the fashion industry. One day I picked up a pencil and started sketching again. It felt like returning to a part of myself that I had never truly lost.
GLAMOUR: You kept sketching through those years. What were you drawing, and what did it mean to keep that private creative life going?
AmaLinda: I was always sketching gowns, putting pieces together and exploring how shapes would play/sit on a body. I never really abandoned that part of myself. It was something I continued to nurture privately.
Keeping that creative side of my life to myself gave me freedom to experiment, explore my ideas and grow as a designer without expectations. Looking back I realise that it also kept me rooted. Even when fashion wasn’t at the forefront of my life, it remained a part of me quietly growing until I was ready to embrace it fully.
GLAMOUR: Does your psychology training influence how you design or how you think about the women who wear Lin Couture?
AmaLinda: Absolutely! My background in psychology influences how I approach design, particularly looking at colour theory on how colors can evoke moods, emotions and expression. I have always believed that when you look good, you feel good, because what you wear can influence how you feel and how the world perceives you.
This thinking also informed my DazzLin collection. I wanted to explore the different ways a woman can feel through fashion, Bold, Strong,Soft, Feminine, Timeless and Ethereal. I think about the woman wearing each piece and the emotions she wants to express. The woman who wears Lin Couture should feel Confident, Fearless and Unapologetically herself.
For me, design goes beyond creating beautiful garments. It is about understanding the woman, what she wants to communicate and how she wants to feel, then translating that into something she can wear. The emotional connection is as just as important to me as the design itself.
GLAMOUR: What finally made you decide to turn a lifelong passion into a fashion house? Was there a specific moment, or did it build gradually?
AmaLinda: After my mother passed on in 2024, I remember going to lunch with my moms close friend who said something that has stayed with me. She said, ‘ You have so much love for your mother and your father. You need to find somewhere to channel all that love. The place where you once poured that love is no longer there, so you need to find somewhere else to put it.’
I don’t know what shifted in me at that moment, I found myself thinking about the first dream my mother had ever planted in me, I felt an overwhelming pull to return to that passion to the very thing she encouraged and believed I could become.
And just like that, I knew Lin Couture was going to be born. It wasn’t simply about starting a fashion house, it was about finding somewhere to place all that love.Lin Couture became an expression of that love.
GLAMOUR: Lin Couture honours your late mother, and "A Touch of Lin" is the brand's signature. How did you land on that phrase, and what does it mean to you?
AmaLinda: ‘A Touch of Lin’ is incredibly sentimental to me. It means that my mother is present in every piece that leaves the fashion house. There is a little of her in every garment, which makes the phrase much more than a signature; it is a way of keeping her close to everything I create.
Even when I visit the fashion district in Harare, I am reminded of those memories we made together, walking those streets and choosing fabrics. There are shops I still remember because she loved them. Whenever I am selecting fabrics or putting a collection together, I often find myself asking ‘would my mother love this colour? What would she think of this styling’
Those little moments keep her involved in my creative journey. For me every garment carries more than craftsmanship and design; it carries a piece of my mother. That is what ‘ A Touch of Lin’ means: her love, her influence and her presence woven into the story of Lin Couture.
GLAMOUR: How does Linda's presence show up in the designs themselves, whether in a silhouette, a fabric or a detail?
AmaLinda: I think my mother’s presence comes through most intentionally in the collections we create. The Tina collection for example is particularly close to my heart. It is a tribute to my mother and to women affected by breast cancer. It reflects how I use fashion to tell stories that are deeply personal to me.
Beyond individual silhouettes or fabrics, her influence is woven into the intention behind certain collections and the emotions I hope they communicate. In that sense her presence is not always something you can see in a particular detail, it is something you can feel in the story behind a garment.
GLAMOUR: Building a brand around such a personal loss must carry emotional weight. How do you balance grief and tribute with running a business?
AmaLinda: Grief is always present. I don’t think it necessarily fades with time; you simply learn how to hold it. You learn to carry the pain while continuing to live, create and move forward.
For me tribute has become a way of giving that love a purpose. The Tina Collection which honours my mother and women affected by breast cancer, is one example of how I channel emotion deeply into my work. We have plans to relaunch the collection in the future winter season because its message is something I want to continue sharing.My mother had an extensive fur collection. We have created a winter fur collection in honor of her and 50% of proceeds go to women battling cancer.
Running a fashion house requires me to keep creating and looking ahead but I never feel that I have to separate my grief from my work. In many ways they coexist. Lin Couture allows me to honour my mother’s memory while building something she once believed I was capable of.
GLAMOUR: You speak of beautiful fabrics, considered details and feminine silhouettes. How would you describe the Lin Couture woman, and how should she feel when she puts on one of your pieces?
AmaLinda: The Lin Couture woman is a reflection of the many dimensions of femininity, soft yet strong, bold yet feminine, fearless, ethereal and timeless. Our DazzLin collection captured this beautifully, celebrating the different ways a woman can express herself.
One question I often ask my clients is, ‘ How do you feel when you walk into that room?’ The answers vary from sexy and confident to feminine and beautiful. I want every woman who wears Lin Couture to feel DazzLin to command attention and most importantly to feel good in herself.
I always believed that when you look good, you feel good. For me it’s about creating more than a beautiful garment, It’s about creating a feeling.
GLAMOUR: How does your Zimbabwean heritage inform your aesthetic, and how do you keep it contemporary rather than literal?
AmaLinda: Zimbabwe is an important part of who I am and naturally that finds its way into my creative perspective. Growing up in Harare particularly being exposed to its vibrant fashion district shaped my appreciation for fabrics, craftsmanship, colour and the creativity that exist within our own communities.
I don’t necessarily believe heritage has to be expressed literally for it to be present in a design. For me it can come through in the fabrics I appreciate, the details I gravitate towards and the stories and experiences that influence my creative process.
With Lin Couture, I want to honour where I come from while creating pieces that feel contemporary, timeless and internationally relevant. My vision is to build a fashion house that carries its own identity that is proudly rooted in my experiences but can resonate with a woman anywhere in the world.
GLAMOUR: You aspire to be a household name internationally. What does that look like in practice, and what are the biggest hurdles for a Zimbabwean fashion house reaching that stage?
AmaLinda: For me becoming an international household name means building a fashion house with a distinct identity, one that people immediately recognise for what it represents. Much like certain fashion houses are synonymous with leather fashion and accessories. I want Lin Couture to be recognised for its corset and gowns and its approach to couture. I want the name to carry the same recognition and presence as established international brands.
In practical terms that means setting ambitious goals, expanding our reach beyond Zimbabwe and securing opportunities to showcase at international Fashion Weeks. I want Lin Couture to compete on a global stage while proudly representing where it comes from.
One of our biggest hurdles is financial. Building a couture house requires significant investment from production and materials to international exposure and market access. There is also the challenge of changing the perception Zimbabwe is not always immediately associated with luxury fashion or established couture houses and I am excited by the opportunity to challenge that narrative. I want to show that world class fashion can come from Zimbabwe.
GLAMOUR: The brand represents "the courage to return to one's passion." What would you say to a woman reading this who has put her own creative dream on hold?
AmaLinda: I would say START!! Even if you feel small, start wherever you are and with whatever you have. Whether your passion is art, music, painting, writing, acting or any form of expression, don’t dismiss it simply because you cannot pursue it on the scale you imagine just yet.
Be proud of those parts of yourself that still want to create. Hold on to your dreams but also give yourself permission to act on them, even in the smallest ways.
Find your community too. One of the things I love doing is meeting other designers and having conversations about what we are creating. There is something inspiring about connecting with people who share your passion. You realise that there are others out there walking a similar journey and those connections can open doors you never anticipated.
Wherever you are in the world there is someone doing something similar to what you dream of doing. Find them, learn from them and grow alongside them.
Above all, hold on to your dreams, but don’t just hold them. Pursue your purpose!
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