RWANDAN fashion designer Colombe Ndutiye Ituze has teamed up with Canadian born St. Louis Johanne to open a new fashion house.

Doda Fashion House located in Kimironko was officially launched on Saturday in a colourful ceremony attended by Rwanda top fashion designers and models. 

Speaking during the event, Johanne said they also have plans to open a fashion school in the country.

Prominent fashion houses represented at the event included, Glo Creations of Gloria Kamanzi, Iola Fashion House of Hagana Efue, St. Louis Fashion owned by Johanne, Uzuri Fashion House of Kevine and Ysolde and Inkanda House of Patrick Muhire. 

Colombe said Doda Fashion House is not only going to produce quality materials for Rwanda’s top fashion houses but will also train women to embrace skills in the burgeoning Rwanda fashion industry. 

Colombe added that there has been tremendous growth of fashion industry over the last few years with more fashion houses springing up. "What we need now is skilled manpower and the proposed fashion school is going to provide that so that more women can come on board and be self employed,” Colombe said.

Johanne said that when she arrived in Rwanda six years ago, there were just a handful of fashion houses but more have come up over the last few years. 

"Rwanda is a beautiful country and her people love fashion. What is needed now is to harness the fashion industry so that more people can access quality products produced by Rwandans themselves,” added Johanne.

Efua Hagan of Iola Designs, a designer of handbags welcomed the new addition in fashion industry, saying that the opening of Doda Fashion House was a positive indication that Rwanda fashion industry is growing.

"In Africa, we still have a long way to go when it comes to the fashion industry. However, Rwanda has seen improvement of the industry with quality products being produced now.”