We love when brands push the envelope – and Anifa Mvuemba, the innovative mind behind cult favourite Hanifa is known for doing just that; from experimenting with 3D models and draping, to hosting her first digital fashion show, this award winning 29 year old designer continues to inspire.
On the eve of Eva Chen‘s ‘digital playbook for digital fashion shows’ touting Instagram as the go-to destination for the new format fashion experience, Hanifa delivered a masterclass in digital excellence showing us exactly how its done. Not only using the tools at hand to create an exciting, edge-of-your-seat show experience – but also showcasing storytelling at its finest. In one of her own designs, Anifa gave us the backstory to the #PinkLabelCongo collection, melding news pieces, hinting at Congo’s fashion history with a brief glimpse of the renown ‘Les Sapeurs’ and showing the stunning natural beauty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, before finally hitting on the humanitarian crisis in the country, specifically around the mining of coltan – a mineral found in most smart phones and electronics.
Although this is not the first purely 3D show or campaign of its kind (designer and animator Cat Taylor‘s debut at Selfridges comes to mind) this is undoubtedly the first so flawlessly executed by a black woman.
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The deft storytelling weaved a tale of hope and joy, and definitely ensured that the beautiful 8 piece capsule collection and its message – is indelibly inked in our minds.
On their Instagram page, the brand shared:
#PinkLabelCongo🇨🇩 Encore Show — Collection Now Available at Hanifa.co
Riddled with a painful history, the beauty of Congo is often untapped and overlooked. The gentleness, beauty, history, poise, majesty, strength, power, and hope of the Congolese spirit inspired this collection. When creating each piece, I was reminded of the stories my mother told me of the women she knew back home in Congo. Women who suffered great loss but still, mustered every ounce of strength everyday to show up. 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, whether pretty or painful — to redesign their future. My country, the land of Congo, is ripe with an abundance of natural resources — the greatest of which are its people — its women. Hanifa presents…. Pink Label Congo. Now available at Hanifa.co
Watch the full show recap below:
