Pink Label Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo formally known as Congo or Zaire is located in Central Africa.
It’s the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa and the 2nd largest in all of Africa. Home to over 84 million people it is also the 16th most populated country in the world. Congo has faced years of political indifferences starting with Congo achieving independence from Belgium on June 30 1960. On November 25, 1965 Mobutu Sese Seko came into power through a coup d'état. The timeline of these events has caused Congo to suffer from political instability, lack of resources, and corruption which resulted in an absence of development. Throughout the years of the turmoil in Congo Anifa Mvuemba is rewriting a positive narrative through Fashion.
Ceo of Hanifaofficial Anifa Mvuemba is cultivating the intersection of fashion and versatility by creating a new narrative for her Congolese heritage. Congo has had a laborious history of political indifferences, but Mvuemba plans are to create a narrative that reflects the rich culture of textiles and reverse the overlooked resources of the county through imagery through her brand. Mvuemba stated “ My hope is that this collection inspires all women to stand tall in their power and like the Democratic Republic of Congo, to use their history, weather pretty or painful to redesign their future”.
Mvuemba who launched her brand in 2012 has used her Congolese Heritage to become the inspiration for her collections. Her style caters to a women’s body by highlighting deep curves and silhouettes that celebrate all body images. The tropical climate and physical landscapes of Congo such as the rainforest, savanna, and Eastern Congolian swamp forests along the Congo River contributed to the bright colors and textures used in her collections. Mvuemba stated “ Hanifa is a contemporary Ready-to-wear apparel line for women without limits. Our collections in sizes 0-20 are feminine and chic. Featuring an array of colors and textures that cater to the natural curves of a woman’s physique. We design for everyday extraordinary women like you who embody class while setting their own rules”.
Congolese clothing refers to colorful materials as “Liputa” matching sets with bold and bright patterns. These patterns and vibrant hues are a reflection of the African culture, Mvuemba used this her Congolese culture to reflect her collection. The Pink Label collection represented the beauty of African culture. The “Kinshasa Backless Mini Dress “ vibrant hues represented the Congo Flag. The “Mái Mini Skirt” represented the tropical climate of Congo with its rich green landscapes.
By: Christian Mosi