Source: iOne Digital / other
Honoree: Anifa Mvuemba
The Grind: Creator and Designer of Hanifa
Find Her: @Hanifaofficial
When the fashion world was panicking, trying to decide if they should risk lives and continue to have fashion shows during a pandemic, or lose in momentum, Anifa Mvuemba was planning. Her clothing line, Hanifa, was almost ten years old and never had a fashion show. She’d spent the past few months learning 3D technology and working on a new collection yet to be released, Pink Congo Label. Why not combine the two and give a debut for the ages?
The line, serving as a homage to her family’s homeland, The Democratic Republic of Congo, took off. The show was the most innovative display the fashion world had seen not only in response to the pandemic, but in decades. Quickly, bigger brands were trying to emulate the idea, but each time, Anifa was quickly cited as the source by fans of the brand, and appreciators of her innovation, alike.
As Anifa evolves, so does her collections. Initially known for her knits and suits, her latest collection, Hanifa Resort, is the answer to the question, “What does a lady of luxury wear?”. A line of bright blues, whites, greens and coppers with everything from suits, to dresses, to unimaginable swimsuit designs, you are truly encouraged to vacation where you are, as the tagline suggests.
There doesn’t appear to be a blueprint the designer is following. Anifa appears to be exploring new ideas and intertwining new skills at her own pace, in her own race, and if longevity and innovation are markers of a fashion house’s staying power, Hanifa will be just fine.
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