Posterity will bear witness to the fact that a 29-year-old Congolese designer, Anifa Mvuemba, changed the face of fashion runway as we’ve known it. With the world in a state of lock-down for the past 2 months, industries everywhere have been forced to change their modus operandi or risk annihilation.
For the fashion industry, there have been conversations surrounding propelling the industry during times like this, the question in essence being; “Who is buying fashion items now while we’re all indoors?”
An idea literally born ahead of its time?
In an interview with Teen Vogue, Anifa, the designer behind Hanifa said she had already planned to launch her collection online way before the pandemic and lockdown around the world. With the new order of things, she also found herself questioning its release. She eventually made a decision for her customers.
Anifa knew that some people may never experience a fashion week or Hanifa showcase personally so she put in the work to provide great entertainment value for her clients on Instagram.
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Using 3D models, she created relatable––for many black women––model body types wearing items from her Pink Label Collection. The forms moved like real models would and the designs came alive against the dark background of the virtual runway.
In the collection itself, you notice everything from bold patterns to subtle textures, soft structures, and generally, an embodiment of full femininity even without the models. The attention to detail was not only eye-catching, but also mesmerizing.
As videos of the Hanifa Virtual runway show surfaced all over the internet, even beyond Instagram, we were taken aback by the sincerity of Anifa’s message to us.
It was indeed a telling of hope, not just for the fashion industry but also for her hometown, Congo, where tales of illegal mining and the families affected by it have been brought to the fore. We have all come to respect fashion beyond the runway, beyond the wearing, and recognize it for the change agent that it is. Anifa Mvuemba, remember that name!
Photo credit: Instagram | Hanifaofficial
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