2014: The highs and the lows of the fashion industry

It is quite fitting for one to conclude that the Rwandan fashion industry has been busier this year than any other year before. But even though local fashion designers did their best to promote the budding fashion industry in Rwanda, the hard, cold verdict is that Rwandans are still yet to fully embrace attractive designs coming from local fashion houses. Yet even as they struggled to win over their nationals, Rwandan fashion designers and design houses persisted through 2014, perhaps with the hope that things might get better in the near future. An elegant bride (Vanessa) by Inkanda house 2014. In 2014, many designers showcased a mixture of authentic traditional Rwanda fabrics, like Bitenge, which they laced with modern fabrics, with the hope that it would endear them to the locals. One would say that their efforts have paid off, with several local celebrities like King James and Big Brother hotshot Arthur Nkusi opting to wear locally made designs. Perhaps one of the key challenges identified this year was the fact that few Rwandans attended fashion events organized by local designers. The number of foreigners who attended these events often outnumbered the locals, and this should be food for thought for organisers of such events. They have to find a way of attracting more locals. Fashion industry in Rwanda is facing unprecedented growth despite teething challenges it’s still experiencing and the locals should now take the reins of this growth. While the turn up was frustrating on many fashion events, local designers like Colombe Ituze think there has been some progress compared to 2013. “I think there has been a lot of progress. We have ordinary Rwandans appreciating our work. Certainly it is a step in the right direction,” says Ituze, adding that it requires patience until the industry is fully appreciated. Talking of growth, a number of new fashion houses opened in Kigali this year. In March, Ituze teamed up with Canadian born St. Louis Johanne to open a new fashion house in Kimironko called Doda Fashion house. For Ituze, it was yet another great year, having been picked among the few Rwandans to take part in the 2014 Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), which has since been renamed Mandela African Fellowship. The event to launch Doda Fashion house was attended by a number of who-is- who in Rwanda’s fashion industry. Sonia Roland,dressed by INKANDA house. Glitz and glamour was the order of the day as sassy Radio 10 presenter and designer Christine Mbabazi launched her own fashion house called Christine Fashion and Creative House in Remera one week later. Mbabazi meticulously planned for launch, attracting a sizeable audience.. She said, in an emotional speech, that this was a dream come true for her, and, of course, amid speeches, music and catwalks from models who showcased her designs, wine and food flowed freely. Hate it or love it, the Kigali Fashion Week is here to stay and it made its grand annual appearance once again. The series of events kicked off on November 3 with the Minister for Culture and Sports, Joseph Habineza, announcing that Rwanda had been picked to sit on Commonwealth Fashion Council in London. Designers from Kenya, Burundi and Uganda took part in the event, while Rwanda was represented by 12 designers, including Patrick Muhire of Inkanda House, Colombe Ituze, Kevine & Ysolde of Uzuri K&Y, and Teta Isibo of Inzuki Designs. Inzuki is a dynamic young Rwandan brand specialising in jewelry, accessories and interior decor hand-made primarily from local materials. All products are Rwandan made, African inspired and globally distributed. While the grand finale, held at the Kigali City Tower on Friday November 7, did not impress much, the events that preceded it were a success. Critics, however, pointed out that the standards of KFW had dropped compared to the previous editions. Perhaps it has something to do with the organisation. Nevertheless, Kigali Fashion Week was an indicator that Rwanda’s fashion industry continues to register growth. The annual Rwanda Cultural Fashion Week was held in early October and, during the closing ceremony held at Petit Stade, Minister Habineza reiterated that government will work closely with Workforce Development Authority (WDA) and fashion designers to develop the local fashion industry. The weeklong event failed to attract the crème de la crème of the fashion industry and, throughout the week, only a handful of fashion houses showcased what they had to offer at Arts Centre in Kimihurura where it had set base. The revelation of the year goes to Uzuri K&Y, a fashion house of Kevine Kagirimpundu and her partner Ysolde Shimwe. Apart from taking part in almost all fashion events that were held in Kigali, the fast-rising duo were also invited to participate in different fashion shows outside the country, making them the undisputed ambassadors of fashion industry in Rwanda this year alongside Colomber Ituze. Uzuri K&Y was among a group of fashion designers that took part in Kampala Fashion Intro held in May. Apart from that, in July, the fashion house was among those selected to participate in a fashion event organised by Oklahoma City women teaming up with Economic Empowerment of Women. The fashion event was designed to educate, coach and mentor female entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda. It was held in Oklahoma City, US. Despite the challenges that still dog Rwanda fashion industry, what comes out this year is that with hard work from the increasing fashion houses and aggressive marketing campaigns, it’s headed for a better future.

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2014: The highs and the lows of the fashion industry