Renowned Arsenal Football Club players, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hector Bellerin and Reiss Nelson, have showcased Made-in-Rwanda outfits—thanks to a Made-in-Rwanda fashion challenge organised by ‘Visit Rwanda’.

The first team players had been challenged by local fashion designers to create their own looks from a range of clothing and accessories produced by established local designers, which the players accepted and dressed up in Made-in Rwanda fashion accessories availed by the Visit Rwanda team.

The challenge aims to keep the Visit Rwanda campaign between Rwanda and Arsenal alive as tourism was globally put on hold for the meantime as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Visit Rwanda, the initiative is also organised "to celebrate the young creatives who are putting Made-in-Rwanda fashion on the map.”

Commenting on what he thinks of the Made-in-Rwanda outfits he donned, Arsenal’s forward player Reiss Nelson replied: "I think the colours are very neutral and the shirt is a smart, classic look. You can get away with wearing it at different places.”

Local design companies that dressed-up these players among others include, Haute Baso, House of Tayo, Inzuki Designs, K’tsobe, Moshions, Rwanda Clothing and Uzi Collections.

Speaking to The New Times, Joselyne Umutoniwase, who owns Rwanda Clothing, noted that the challenge was a good gesture.

"We are grateful that Arsenal willingly played a role in promoting our local creative industry by dressing-up our products. It is a sign that our vision of going beyond meeting the local market needs and exporting our accessories worldwide is indeed becoming a reality,” she said.

In 2018, Rwanda became Arsenal’s first-ever tourism partner under the three-year partnership deal dubbed, "Visit Rwanda” that aims to brand Rwanda as both a tourism and investment destination among others.

Reiss Nelson in Joselyne Umutoniwase’s design. / Courtesy

Arsenal stars Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hector Bellerin and Reiss Nelson (right) donning Made in Rwanda outfits during the challenge. / Courtesy