African designers inspire peace & tranquility in DRC conflict-torn region on the catwalk

In the conflict-torn east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a fashion show aims to promote creativity and peace. Numerous armed groups have been fighting for control of valuable mineral resources in the eastern Congo region for decades. Mass murders occur frequently, and the unrest has led to a refugee exodus.

Flore Mfuanani Nsukula one of the designers who view the pinning, sewing, and ironing of her collection as a means of communicating with the rest of the world, declared in her Goma workshop that “through art, all the colors that we will express, through our clothes, it will be full of emotions, trying to explain what we are going through in our country.”

The ninth Liputa fashion show was held on June 24. According to the organizers, this was a chance to inspire peace and peaceful coexistence throughout Africa.

“Africans must be one, be united,” said Délia Ndougou, a fashion designer from Cameroon. “This diversity must bring us together, although we do have a very diverse range of cultures,” she explained, displaying a collection that was based on the flag of her country.”

Designers, models, and artists from Cameroon, Senegal, Burundi, France, the United States, and other countries participated in the Goma show.

Chadrac Lumumba, a talented stylist from Kinshasa, added, “We really wanted to convey joy in the clothes, peace in the clothes, very cheerful styles, a question of making the world smile.”

The program aims to promote a more favorable perception of the continent in addition to highlighting Congo’s fashion industry.

Following the runway debut of her latest collection, Nsukula stated that she thought the cause was already making a difference due to the wide attendance. 

“We had visitors who came from the Central African Republic presenting their collections, Cameroon, the USA, and France. That implies that there is comfort and hope that things will get better in due course.

The show’s organizer, David Ngulu clarified, “We presented these collections, not only to sell the visions of these creators but to show that in Africa, in [Congo], the areas that are considered ‘red,’ we can do things there that we see in other countries that have peace.”  

He added that “I think that each creator contributed to love, peace, and living together”