The Democratic Republic of the Congo offers two contrasting fashion stories: a handmade textile craft and a flamboyant street style.
Kuba cloth
Kuba cloth comes from the Kasai-Sankuru area. Men grow raffia palms and weave the base cloth, while women decorate it with embroidery, appliqué and a velvet-like cut pile. It is used for wraparound ceremonial skirts, which can be about 25 feet long, worn in burial displays, ritual dances and celebrations. Twool, a deep red dye from tree heartwood, is among the dyes used.
La Sape in Kinshasa
La Sape, a subculture of elegance and public performance, began among Congolese communities in Kinshasa and Brazzaville. In the 1970s, the singer Papa Wemba helped revive it in Kinshasa. Followers, known as sapeurs, treasure designer labels such as Yves Saint Laurent and Giorgio Armani, and in 2023 sapeurs performed at the opening of the Jeux de la Francophonie.
Sources: Wikipedia: Kuba cloth, Wikipedia: Sapeurs.
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