Augustine Hakizimana is passionate about translating traditions into modern fashion and it is at last weekend’s Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show where all this came to light. 

At the show, Hakizimana showcased his cultural clothing line which produces outfits made using materials inspired by the pre-colonial times. The material includes bark cloth and animal skin, animal patterns and colours.

He also likes to modernise traditional styles by adapting them to today’s world. Clothing cuts remain as similar as possible to the original ones. However, some things have changed. Women now wear outfits which also cover their breasts for example.

The type of impact Hakizimana wishes his collections to have is educational. He wants people from abroad to learn about what Rwandans used to wear and how they would wear it, and for locals to be reminded of their traditional clothing culture.

Hakizimana sees himself as a fashion designer by passion only, but a painter by profession. Today, he is a member of Uburanga Arts Studio and Agasozi Arts Centre.

A self-taught contemporary Rwandan artist, Hakizimana prefers paintings that speak about women.

"I like to paint women and the problems that affect them, such as being orphaned, a single parent and more. I express both the positive and negative.”

The 28-year-old has, however, expanded his work to painting about war in Africa.

Hakizimana plans to visit orphanages in the countryside where he will give children art workshops. He aims to help them discover their talent through art and teach practical handcrafting and drawing skills.

Over the next two months, he will also be holding an exhibition to showcase his paintings and art installations in Kigali.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw