Uganda Fashion
Below is a review of the Fashion in Uganda
Fashion has always been and will be a reflection of society; it cannot happen in a vacuum. In the 1960s, women wore minis, teetered on platform heels, some boldly went braless (the mind boggles) and the huge afros were the in-thing.
African states were getting independence from white colonialists and in America, the black civil movement was embraced,”
According to Keturah Kamugasa, a fashion icen, who works with the New Vision.
The 1960s
Sanny Kirya first lived in the rural areas, but later tasted the urban life and never turned back. She had a feel of the fashions that dominated the social scene during the 1960s and years later.
She says afros were the in-thing. Men too kept their hair long unlike today where they prefer having it short. Others stuck in their hair, a wooden comb as an accessory.
According to Joyce Mpanga, women too had style in dressing although most of them went for the British conservative style. She is one of the people who attended the live event at Kololo and even went for the garden party.
Many women adopted suits, hats and body stockings as their signature wear throughout the early 1960s. They also wore long dresses mimicking the British conservative culture.
Even for brides, the fashion was not exceptional, on her wedding in 1965, Mpanga’s changing dress had a full length coat, with a hat and gloves. Among the upper class traditional wear remained a reserve for traditional ceremonies.
Women elevated their height with the closed platform shoes nicknamed Gabon, which also gave them a chic look. Those shoes have now been replaced with the sharper stilettos, pumps and wedges.
Kirya also remembers dresses famously known as ‘twist and tight’. They adopted this name because of their style and what they could enable the wearer to do. Much as they were tight from top to waist, they were free following to allow her twirl around when during the twist dance.
These dresses with pleats made a great fashion comeback in the 21st century.
Transition in 1970s
Liberations that were occurring around the world in the 1960s and 1970s like the black power movement, feminist movement and birth control movement started impacting on Africa too.
According to Fashion expert Keturah Kamugasa, Fashion in the 1970s refl ected a sense of freedom, courage and liberation.
Women had more courage to expose acres of leg and thigh! The 1970s saw the disco era; neon eye shadow, psychedelic colours and prints, polo necks, and wide bell bottomed trousers, which were a sign of liberation.
Ladies too donned trousers though still held on to their dresses and skirts which they deemed as more feminine and elegant
“People then had so much respect compared to people now,” rebuts Kirya.
She adds that today, the connotations are quite different. “While back in the days, wearing short skirts could have been merely interpreted as ‘riding with the tide’, today, it is different. The girl may be labeled as a slut for wearing similar clothing,” Kirya explains.
Between 1980s and 1990s
In the late 1980s and 1990s, a woman risked being undressed if she dared go downtown in a mini. In 2000s, however, the perception changed and woman would freely wear mini attire.
For the men, bell bottom trousers were the in thing. Everyone made an effort to have a pair of the trousers. At first, they had turn-ups, but later dropped them.
Overalls too were both won by the men and women albeit in different fashion to suit the sexes. Double braced coats first made their arrival and then were partly followed by the coats with back slits.
Round hats were a vital accessory for every man unlike today. Most old men likened those hats to respect and therefore wore them all the time.
Liberation
According to Kamugasa, the 1980s were the time for masculine tailoring and huge shoulder pads as women took positions previously jealously guarded by men. Women were now running the corporations. In a bid to be taken seriously in and out of the boardroom, they dressed like men for work.
Come the 1990s and we see women’s fashion softening a bit as both men and women came to the realisation that women were not mere visitors at the top be it social, corporate, political or economic.
Uganda has experienced all these changes along with the rest of the world, albeit in her own context. The 1990s ushered in plenty of glamour and lots of freedom.
There is no so much fear in revealing clothing or rather exposing their undergarments.
Women are more visible in all arenas now and they have disposable income that allows them to shop where they want, wear what they want and vote for whom they please.
With political representation and the women’s movement, the woman now had a voice and can fight for her rights. That could be the reason why she is now free to expose as much flesh as she wants.
List of Fashion Designers in Uganda
We bring you ladies who are trying their best to shape Uganda’s Fashion Industry.
Sylvia Owori
Sylvia Owori
She is one of the pioneers of fashion in Uganda. Sylvia has always had passion for fashion, she has had her designs, train models for catwalks, and this has shaped Uganda fashion industry.
She has Sylvie boutique where she sells her designs.
Solome Katongole
Solome Katongole
She is a Ugandan born fashion designer with an American culture influenced up bringing. Solome is a Biologist by training; her past endeavors have included obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Biology and working for a pharmaceutical company, Cephalon.
This experience culminated in her striving for a greater challenge and passion thus becoming a Fashion Designer. In early 2008 she acquired an internship in London with Yemi Osunkoya of the Kosibah label for 5 months.
Upon her return to the U.S, she attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles to further her knowledge and education in fashion.
She graduated with a degree in Fashion Design in 2009. Her talents continued to blossom and grew to the creation of her own self-name label.
Her label specializes in ready to wear, and customized women’s clothing. Solome’s mission is to create and make high quality garments using unique and exquisite fabrics.
She merges traditional and western styles to create modernized garments. Her main source for inspiration is color, nature and the 50s genre. With the success of the label, she has begun to transform the canvas of fashion.
Participating in major fashion shows including Africa Fashion Week New York 2010, Boston Fashion Week 2010, Fashion Expose, Mercedes Benz of Buffalo Fashion Week 2011, Hub of Africa Fashion Week 2012, and Ankara Fest Los Angeles 2013.
Stella Atal
Stella Atal
She is one of the first Uganda fashion designers. She has truly played a big role in the Uganda fashion industry.
Nusurah Kaseruuzi
Uganda Fashion
Nusurah Kaseruuzi (C)
She is based in the UK and owns Mwajuma clothing line. Her line is doing well and she is on course for a greater fashion future.
Stella Nankya
Stella Nankya
She is based in South Africa and owns Starqt Fashion House designs. She makes her own designs and this has helped in selling Uganda fashion outside the country.
Because of her designs, she was able to represent Uganda at 2013 Miss Asia Pacific World Beauty pageant in South Korea in October.
Judith Heard
She started way back as catwalk model and she has now grown into a designer who now owns a fashion line.
She recently started her own clothing line #2AfricanGalz which she co owns with Nigeria’s Michelle.
Hellen Lukoma
She owns House of Lukoma at Mabarizi Complex. Her clothing line Genesis lauched on 24th December 2013 at Silk shows how far she has done in the fashion industry of Uganda.
Juliana Nasasira
The daughter of one of Uganda’s longest serving minister John Nasasira, Juliana Nasasira owns a clothing line called Kwesh Fashion.
Her first showcase left fashion lovers who attended the show at Protea hotel wondering whether she had set the bar too high for herself on her first ever showcasing.
Juliana went to Instituto Marangoni in Milan-Italy, one of the leading fashion and design institutes with campuses in Milan, London, and Paris.
It’s this experience from the home of fashion that she brings to Uganda and the world.
Carol Mugasha
Working with Bank of Uganda has not stopped Carol to chase her fashion dream. She owns Kunda Clothing line, which embraces Africa’s very own vitenge culture – creating modern on-trend, ferocious designs for the modern day person, and possess an international appeal.
Brenda Nambi
She owns Bambi Fashions and soon we may see herself starting her own clothing line.
Doreen Faith
She is the founder and designer at Dare Fashion House.
The Ugandan UK based fashion designer told us that her aim is to bring Dare to Uganda. She is set to open a store in Uganda and this will boost our fashion industry too.
Flavia Nakafeero
She owns Flash Models Uganda and she is a designer who deals in sweaters. This young designer better known as Flash Nak is slowly turning into a star in fashion.
Cindy Kemigisha
Other notable players in the Uganda fashion industry are;
Santa Anzo
Namia Couture
Suubu Njuki
Catherine and Sons
Cindy Kemigisha
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