There is so much to share on Rwandan fashion that the topic deserves a dedicated space on my blog.
I am almost sure that when you think of Rwanda, fashion is not among the things that come first, if at all, to your mind. You’d automatically associate it with its very dramatic historical events from some 20 years ago, or the famous movie “Hotel Rwanda” (I highly recommend it!), or simply have a very vague and generic African picture in your mind. (to be honest with you, I had to look up Rwanda on the map before our first visit).
Leaving aside its natural beauties and astonishing social and economic developments, Rwanda has a lot to offer in the fashion area, too. In fact there are already numerous projects run by young local entrepreneurs and foreign business supporters to promote Rwandan Fashion; Rwanda Clothing, Inzuki Designs, Sonia Mugabo to name a few. It’s a matter of time for those initiatives to become the next big thing in fashion centers like NYC, Paris or Milan. You might think I am exaggerating but African fashion designers are already gaining momentum overseas. Just read on and you will see why I am such a believer in the potential of Rwandan fashion.
Here I would like to open a parenthesis to quell some doubts about my qualification to write on fashion. I am probably not the most qualified person when it comes to fashion 🙂 There are thousands of professional bloggers out there who know the nitty-gritty details of this fabulous business. I don’t. My simple goal here is make more people aware of the hidden beauties of Rwanda, and fashion is certainly one of them. Now that art became a bigger part of my life, it opened up my senses to other artistic expressions like fashion. So I just couldn’t skip this topic…
Similarly to my posts on arts, I intend to turn this into a themed series. But let me start with a short story that took place a week after our arrival in Kigali. It’s a story about irresistible colors (again!) and excellent customer care.
On one of our trips to a small nearby shopping center we noticed a small store that sells traditional Rwandan fabrics. I bet that 99,9% of the female foreigners would be tempted to go and have a look inside. So did we! My girls and I were approached by a friendly store assistant who showed us tens of different fabrics and a small tailor workshop behind. That was it! The decision was taken on the spot – this is where the girls could get sewed their first Rwandan dresses.
The “doing” part was such a nice experience on its own! Between the try-on visits, Diane, the store assistant, made sure to keep us informed about each step of the process via WhatsApp. Even when there was nothing to share, she still kept contact with us, sometimes just to say hi. One-on-one marketing at its best! You see the results on the picture! I wonder how come Benetton hasn’t launched a line inspired by Rwandan fabric designs yet.
Now seriously, I don’t think Rwanda needs a company like Benetton to promote its own fashion brands! I am convinced that with a little bit of business consultancy, local fashion brands can blossom and remain truly authentic, without necessarily being part of a multi-national corporation.
Rwanda Clothing – a leading fashion brand in Rwanda – is a great example and it’s definitely not the only one. Even if you are not as interested in fashion, it’s worth reading its story; more precisely the story of its founder – Joselyne Umutoniwase who is now only 29 years old and already successfully selling her collections in Europe and the United States.
In short, her story goes like this. Joselyne had passion for clothing design since her childhood. Before she created her first collection in 2010 (at 23 y.o.!), she worked as a film director and editor – business that was not particularly lucrative at that point of time.
What happened in 2010 reveals her real calling in life. She was invited by a German film director to participate in a scholarship program in Berlin and Mainz. She decided to travel to Germany with two bags full of her fashion clothing with the aim to present and sell her first collection. The young designer was fascinated by the fashion scene she had the chance to experience. In three months she sold everything! When she was back in December, she started designing her second collection with the money earned in Germany.
I think her summary about the beginning of Rwanda Clothing says it all:
The website of Rwanda Clothing can really heighten your appetite for local fashion and style, particularly its blog that provides great contents including an interesting feed on the social impact of fashion in Rwanda. That’s right, social impact rooted in ethical values and human dignity is equally important as commercial objectives to Rwanda Clothing. Joselyne has got great opportunities for a career in Europe but she decided to stay in Kigali and contribute to the social and economic wellbeing of her country. Tell me about national pride…
Inzuki Designs – another fabulous fashion brand. Forgive me for using the Internet slang but when I first saw Inzuki jewelries I was just “OMG!” It was one of these very rare moments, when you just walk into a jewelry store or notice a piece of jewelry and you know this is it! Please note that when it comes to jewelries, I would rather describe myself as a minimalist following the rule “less is more” and it’s not easy for a jewelry piece to easily catch my attention.
“Bold, authentic, colorful design” – this is what Inzuki is all about. I think the picture conveys the essence better than any words.
As many other local crafts and fashion projects, Inzuki Designs started out as a hobby. Teta Isibo, the founder, was inspired by other young entrepreneurs and the whole new trend that was forming up on the Rwandan fashion scene. In 2010 her hobby turned into an official business and the first boutique was opened in the center of Kigali. Today Inzuki Designs is not only a famous fashion brand in Rwanda, but tapping into the rest of Africa as well as overseas international markets, with an online store to be opened soon.
Sonia Mugabo, House of Tayo, Haute Baso, Uzuri K&Y and many other Rwandan fashion brands born within the last few years share similar stories. Empowerment, collaboration, national pride, authenticity, craftsmanship, social impact, sustainability… – these are the values and the “why’s” behind the existence of many local enterprises. They have a clearly articulated mission that is felt in every experience touchpoint: from the product to the customer care to their stores and websites. I don’t remember when I was captivated by the story of a brand in such a impactful way.
I have told you that this topic deserves a dedicated series of posts, right?:-) So, let me finish Part 1 with some snapshots from the wonderful event my husband and I attended last Saturday called Culinary Extravaganza.
This is the biggest fundraising yearly event organized by the school of our kids with the greatest support of the Parents Teachers Organization. Besides its primary fundraising goal, this is a great opportunity for parents to get together as a community, try out home-cooked meals from around the world and have a lot of fun!
The theme of this year’s event was “A Touch of Africa” encouraging a dress code with a local flavour. It was an extraordinary evening!
I’ve been at many multi-cultural events but this one was the most diverse and colorful of all! I am so grateful for this experience! Like everything else here, it not only broadens my horizons but also makes me hungry for even more cultural exchanges!
Expect new stories on Rwandan fashion with some highlights from the upcoming Kigali Fashion Week very soon!!!
If you like the topic and want to share something or ask a question, go ahead! I would love to have a chat with you.
End of Part 1.
To view other posts, click here.