Anifa Mvuemba is the designer of the women’s fashion brand Hanifa. Drawing inspiration from her Congolese roots, she uses Instagram to tell her story and that of her native country. She also used it to launch her latest collection shown on 3D models.
She didn’t just start using 3D models to showcase her clothing without live models during lockdown. As she told Teen Vogue, she found it challenges her to get all the details of the fit just right in the design stage.
It also appeared to be the right choice for going on with the debut at a time when fashion shows have to be reimagined and rendered into digital format.
Though it launched live, you can still see the full video here:
The shorter version showcasing the clothes without the Congo story background is here:
The pieces connect to the Congo as explained in the Teen Vogue article on the designer: “From a colorful backless ribbed dress representing the Congo flag colors, to a curve-hugging maxi dress completed with detailed pockets and side ruching, to the finale’s floor length silk gown emblazoned with grassy hills and rivers, every piece told a story.”
It quotes Mvuemba’s observation, that echoes the sentiments of the creation. “I want these pieces to tell a story of meaning. I want them to remind us to be intentional about what we create. Not for clout or for Instagram likes, but for the sake of meaning what we say by storytelling through our designs.”
That’s right in line with what Derek Blasberg, head of fashion and beauty at YouTube noted in a Vogue Business article. These digital fashion shows expand the ways fashion designers can tell their “story of brand identity.”
