Nikki Billie Jean 2016 RTW,Β βLes Sapeursβ
β The collection includes superb quality blazers, waistcoats and pants. The suits are catered to a masculine silhouette but can accommodate the sartorial needs of women interested in dapper garb.
β¦ Style is a form of worship. Elegance is a way of praise, and fashion is a religion for the Congo dandies, otherwise known as the βsapeursβ.
In Congolese slang, βla sapeβ means La Societe des Ambianceurs et Personnes Elegantes, or The Society of Atmosphere Setters and Elegant People.
The Sapeurs are a society of men who have turned the art of dressing into a cultural statement with the foundation of having style, grace, etiquette and impeccable manners. Within their local communities, where nearly half of the people live in poverty, they are a source of inspiration and positivity. When a well-dressed Sapeur walks down the street, people βforget their problemsβ.
After the death of Conogolese musician and godfather of La Sape, Papa Wemba, Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango said in an interview, βPeople have always had stereotypes about us, and he (Papa Wemba) was saying dressing well is not just a matter of money, not just something for Westerners, but that we Africans also have elegance.βΒ (source)
