Be fashionable but respectful - Evelyne Umurerwa

Veteran television presenter/news anchor Evelyne Umurerwa has graced Rwandan television sets for years. Based on the outfits she wonderfully pulls off on TV, there is no doubt that the media personality has a great sense of style. Umurerwa tells Society Magazine’s Doreen Umutesi about her fashion perceptive both on and off camera. How would you describe your dress sense? I am always more concerned about how comfortable I feel when I’m dressed in an outfit before I step out of the house. As a mother, wife, and television personality, I always make sure my dress code is respectful. I rarely change clothes when I’m going on set to present. I respect dressing up professionally as well as respecting the dress code for specific ceremonies. What’s your favourite clothing item? My favourite clothing item is anything that is made out of African fabric. Besides the fabric having unique colours and patterns, it is so comfortable. Where do you shop for clothes? I don’t have a specific place I shop for clothes, but when I travel I do a lot of shopping. But that doesn’t mean that I never buy clothes here, I do. When I see something I like I buy it. I also have relatives and friends abroad who send me trendy outfits. With my craze for African fabric, I buy colourful pieces then I take them to the tailor to make designs of my choice. What do you consider when shopping clothes? Honestly speaking, colour is the first thing that catches my eye for any outfit or fabric. I love red and blue so it means I will definitely step into a shop if I see a trendy red or blue dress, blouse or skirt. The other thing I see in an outfit when shopping is the design and it should fit well. What is your favourite fashion accessory? I love earrings, but I put more emphasis on handbags and shoes. They don’t necessarily need to have the same colour but they have to blend with the outfit. What is your favourite clothing item on a guy? I don’t want to sound picky but as long as a guy respects an occasion and dresses in line with the occasion, anything for me is fashionable. For example I don’t feel its okay for a guy to dress up in jeans and a t-shirt on a Monday morning when coming to office. But he can dress like that over the weekend. What’s your favourite scent? I use different body sprays and perfumes but I think I’m drawn to Alien by Thierry Mugler. Any fashion advice? I want to advise mainly the young people to stop copying fashion trends that are humiliating just because it’s an outfit their favourite celebrity wore. Be fashionable but respectful.