<p>The Collective Rwanda (RW) Week of Fashion wrapped up its inaugural edition with a successful press launch, several ‘business of fashion’ seminars and a sparkling evening of runway shows that saw the latest collections from local designers showcased to an array of esteemed guests, including Rwanda’s First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, and her daughter Ange Kagame.</p>
<p>In attendance too was an excited, style-savvy crowd.</p>
<p>In what was a highly-anticipated debut, the fashion event took place at the five-star Kigali Serena Hotel, hosted by Collective RW (a creative collaboration founded in 2015 by the city’s local designers Sonia Mugabo, Teta Isibo, Matthew Rugamba, Linda Mukangoga and Candy Basomingera) in partnership with Journal Rw and national airline RwandAir.</p>
<p>With the aim to promote ‘Made In Rwanda’ fashion and encourage collaboration within the African fashion industry, the week of fashion saw no shortage of contemporary, bold, and colorful collections from all the featured designers, against the backdrop of ‘teamwork makes the dream work’. FORBES WOMAN AFRICA was present too; here’s a report of the highlights:</p>
<h2>Haute Baso</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-32143 aligncenter" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/House-of-Tayo-DSC_3094-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/House-of-Tayo-DSC_3094-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/House-of-Tayo-DSC_3094-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/House-of-Tayo-DSC_3094-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/House-of-Tayo-DSC_3094.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></p>
<p>Having ventured into the world of fashion precisely because it offers the freedom to transform ideas into pieces that can be shared with an audience, the designers at Haute Baso presented a collection inspired by a book about Rwanda’s military history called Resilience of a Nation. Showcasing women’s wear with simple yet contemporary silhouettes, the resultant collection featured classic military print jackets and tees mixed with stylish, easy ready-to-wear pieces.</p>
<p>Haute Baso’s mission is to translate the passion for art and design into a vehicle for positive change, so highlighting local artisans while promoting job creation particularly for youth and women is important.</p>
<p>“We know that to empower a woman is to empower her community,” says designer Linda Mukangoga. Her belief in the potential of showcasing Rwanda in a global market through fashion and at the same time empowering artisans in the community is what drives this quiet, determined and passionate designer.</p>
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<h2>Sonia Mugabo</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-32146 aligncenter" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Sonia-Mugabo-DSC_2732-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sonia-Mugabo-DSC_2732-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sonia-Mugabo-DSC_2732-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sonia-Mugabo-DSC_2732-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sonia-Mugabo-DSC_2732.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></p>
<p>“If ever there is a market where the fashion world still has potential, it is Africa. I believe it is the right time to change the African narrative and I feel as though it is our creative responsibility to do so,’’ says designer Sonia Mugabo. Following her heart despite being advised to do fashion ‘on the side’, she delivered a SS17 collection featuring bold colors mixed with delightful floral prints and layered ruffles in silhouettes inspired by a refined femininity.</p>
<p>Best known for playing with the perfect mix of vintage and modern design, the brand creates pieces that reflect a documentation of ever-evolving experiences and style.</p>
<p>It represents a collection of memories, of places, people and moments brought to life by #madeinrwanda.</p>
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<h2>Inzuki Designs</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-32142 aligncenter" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Haute-Baso-DSC_3276-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Haute-Baso-DSC_3276-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Haute-Baso-DSC_3276-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Haute-Baso-DSC_3276-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Haute-Baso-DSC_3276.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></p>
<p>Inzuki Designs is best known for its specialized brand of accessories that are globally appealing, African-inspired and Rwandan-made. Presenting bold, mostly-beaded statement pieces on the runway most suitable to a modern-day contemporary style, every product sees authentic design translated into a vibrant and fashionable accessory.</p>
<p>“I team up with numerous local artisans to transcend traditional Rwandan design and seek to customize it into comtemporay design,” says founder and designer Teta Isibo.</p>
<p>In what was unprecedented for a Kigali show, she believes the fashion week went a long way in showing the potential of ‘Made in Rwanda’.</p>
<p>“We are hoping to grow this movement, get more Rwandan fashion designers on board and forge ahead together to take Rwanda fashion global,” she says.</p>
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<h2>House of Tayo</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-32144 aligncenter" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Inzuki-Designs-designer-DSC_3066-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Inzuki-Designs-designer-DSC_3066-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Inzuki-Designs-designer-DSC_3066-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Inzuki-Designs-designer-DSC_3066-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Inzuki-Designs-designer-DSC_3066.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></p>
<p>Designer Matthew Rugamba took his turn showcasing his menswear collection combining touches of bold African patterns and textures on shirts and jackets.</p>
<p>Key items included a new mix of African-inspired print shirts, pocket squares and scarves, with slim fitting pants.</p>
<p>Feeling both relieved and happy after the show, the designer said he believes togetherness will create a difference in Rwanda’s fashion industry, and that being a part of this platform means there is a growing opportunity to share experiences and widen networks, whilst growing together.</p>
<p>The Collective RW Week of Fashion looks set to keep contributing to an already growing conversation about African fashion and talent in Africa and around the world.</p>


Inzuki-Designs-DSC_2909

Clothes Encounters  In Kigali

<p>The world descended on Africa’s political capital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 9.  The queues were long and winding at Bole International Airport as global airlines landed one after the other, offloading hundreds of delegates bound for Africa’s most exclusive economic event.</p>
<p>Throughout the World Economic Forum on Africa, the streets were abuzz with vehicles and people going about their daily routine, oblivious to the occupation of their capital. This humming capital is the epitome of Ethiopia’s remarkable economic achievements in recent years.</p>
<p>Ethiopia is the second most-populous nation in sub-Saharan Africa with a population of more than 80 million people. It is also one of the fastest growing economies on the continent. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects growth at 5.0% and 5.5% in 2012 and 2013 respectively. This is a far cry from growth prospects in Europe and the rest of the developed world. Most Eurozone economies are either in recession or teetering on the brink.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-large wp-image-717" src="/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/iStock_000017062200Medium-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="474" height="316" /></p>
<p>The skyline over Addis Ababa is full of swinging construction cranes. A delegate, who had worked in Addis Ababa since the late nineties, told of his surprise at the building and economic progress since he was last in the country.</p>
<p>Rain and dark clouds hung over the capital for most of the conference, but this didn’t dampen the enthusiasm as delegates exchanged business cards in the hope of new business opportunities. Almost every conversation talked of how the fast growing continent of Africa was the place to be.</p>
<p>“‘It is a tremendous time for Africa where Africa is coming to the world, and the world to Africa,” says Josette Sheeran, vice-chairman and member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum, speaking to CNBC Africa on the eve of the forum.</p>
<p>Sheeran, in her remarks at the opening plenary session, said Africa was in an era of the hand shake with people banding together to galvanize the continent’s transformation.</p>
<p>The discussions were wide and varied, ranging from innovation and technology, to social and gender issues. Several themes were pervasive throughout the three days—among them infrastructural development, regional trade, leadership and governance.</p>
<p>Infrastructure development was identified as the biggest impediment, bar none, to growth in Africa.  Donald Kaberuka, president of the African Development Bank, talked of a recent trip to an African capital. To his dismay, this particular city of a million people had water infrastructure to cater for a mere 17,000 people.</p>
<p>This story brings to light Africa’s gaping infrastructure hole. Delegates at the forum were unanimous. Africa needs to invest heavily in roads, ports, railway lines and power stations to remove bottlenecks and promote efficiency in the economy. Sufficient infrastructure will reduce the cost of doing business on the continent dramatically, which will in turn spur investment.</p>
<p>Many African governments have taken heed. Governments across the continent are spending billions of dollars on infrastructure. In February, South Africa, Africa’s biggest economy and by far the most advanced in terms of infrastructure, announced a $100 billion capital expenditure program over the next three years.</p>
<p>The forum also heard Africa’s global and regional trade was at risk through uncertainty created by the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis. Delegates were concerned about low intra-Africa trade.  Intra-Africa trade is only about 10% compared to 70% in the Eurozone; 52% in Asia; 50% in North America and 26% in South America.</p>
<p>Low intra-regional trade is a missed opportunity for growth and development for the continent.  Pascal Lamy, director general of the World Trade Organisation, blamed this low intra-regional trade on poor infrastructure, inefficient border procedures, regulatory discrepancies and insufficient trade finance.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-large wp-image-716" src="/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_3527-1024x807.jpg" alt="" width="474" height="374" /></p>
<p>“The issue of boosting intra-African trade is not so much the diagnosis on what needs to be done, but on how to do it.” He added that “we know that the necessary initiatives have to happen at the regional level. Regional organizations have to address these problems one by one. The key to removing these bottlenecks lies in the political energy of regional leaders to do it,” says Lamy.</p>
<p>Over the last decade, six of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world were African.  Part of Africa’s stellar growth during this period has been partly attributed to good leadership and governance. Kofi Annan, chairman of the Africa Progress Panel, praised the continent’s leadership and governance standards.  He was confident that over the next decade Africa’s progress will continue.</p>
<p>Annan stressed the need for public policy debate which, he rued, was practically non-existent across the continent.  He lamented that as much as there is democracy there is no engagement between governments and their citizenry. As such there is no policy consensus in nations which means that at each change of government, every five or 10 years, there is a change in policy. He said that lack of policy debate not only promotes myopic policies but also policy discontinuity. This limits consensus and nation building on the continent, ultimately putting a cap on economic growth and development.</p>
<p>Gao Xiqing, president and vice chairman of China Investment Corporation, hit the nail on the head when he referred to a quote by Chairman Mao referring to China’s poverty.</p>
<p>“This may seem a bad thing, but in reality it is a good thing. Poverty gives rise to the desire for changes the desire for action and the desire for revolution. On a blank sheet of paper free from any mark, the freshest and most beautiful characters can be written; the freshest and most beautiful pictures can be painted,” he says.</p>
<p>Africa, like China then, is also fortunate enough to have ‘a blank sheet free from any mark’. It is Africa’s opportunity given its many desires to rise and produce a unique, beautiful and heavenly masterpiece in the form of inclusive, strong and sustainable economic growth to lift Africans from poverty.</p>


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FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Clothes Encounters In Kigali

Build And We Will Grow