As the summer sun peeked over the horizon, all I could think about this year was vacation and the vibrant colours I would be donning whilst running through the streets of the city. Although covid-19 definitely put a halt to quite a few of my summer plans, as a young Congolese adolescent woman with a love for all things fashion, I always keep my eyes peeled for the next new thing, stylistically speaking---the brand, Hanifa, has long been on my radar, but the release of the Pink Label Congo collection has solidified her place on the map. 

​Hanifa is owned and created by Anifa Mvuemba, a 29-year old fashion designer who migrated from the DRC to Washington, D.C. at age three. She attended Morgan State University and took fashion courses, telling her parents that she was obtaining a degree in business. As told in her interview with Teen Vogue, her start up came about when she made a dress for a party, and people loved her designs, so at age 21, she started a collection, and it took off from there. Over time, she became an internet sensation, and her designs have been spotted on the likes of Kylie Jenner, Cardi B, Lizzo, Angela Simmons and Kelly Rowland. She has no actual brick and mortar store yet, due to her plans being delayed by the pandemic, but the idea of doing an online fashion show was thought of long before covid-19 came about. Perfect timing, honestly.

The Pink Label Congo show was created using CLO3D software, executed beautifully, and then revealed via Instagram live. It started off with a clip of a YouTube video, depicting the beauty of the land and of the people, with flashes of war and poverty, which then cuts to a clip of her explaining the start of her brand and what inspires her. She goes on to elaborate on the illegal mining of the mineral coltan, the terrible work conditions for those who participate, how that drives the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, her hometown, and how hearing the stories of the motherland “fueled the passion” to utilize her voice for change. Then it turns to the star of the show: The Pink Label collection.

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Two other astonishing creations include the Mai pieces, detailed with blue, white, and green, a majestic display of the Congo river and mountains on both clothing articles. The dress being $499.00 and the skirt being $115.00, the exquisite pieces are both detailed on the website as crafted

“to flow like the rivers of Congo.” Such a personal depiction that speaks volumes to all the collection is and will forever be.

Lastly, a piece not included in the show, but a part of the collection, is the Colette t-shirt. It was made in partnership with the As You Sow Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting corporate social responsibility, and 20% of the profits will be going towards initiatives against illegal coltan mining.

Although I’m from Congo-Brazza, I can honestly say what a gorgeous collection---she set the precedence for the fashion industry, as this is not something that has been done before or done on this level or caliber---I copped the Orelie top and the Mai mini skirt to support! It was a must. Have you copped anything? If not, what would you like to purchase?

Read more on coltan mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo:

https://www.raconteur.net/business-innovation/cobalt-mining-human-rights

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https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/coltan-and-conflict-drc

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http://www.cookiesound.com/2011/09/coltan-we-all-have-blood-in-our-hands/

Some notable pieces from the collection include the first dress revealed on Instagram Live: the Kinshasa backless mini dress. Priced at $369.00, the symbolic statement piece started the show with a bang. As described in the video, she revealed that everything in the collection was done with intention---the silhouette of this dress represents the freedom of women, the colors being the depiction of the Zairois flag: red for bloodshed, blue for peace, and lined in yellow for hope.