Dady de Maximo Mwicira Mitali, besides being an engineer, is a renowned fashion designer for both men and women’s collections, filmmaker and journalist; and owns DADMAX Agency.

Born on August 27th, 1982, he is the son of the late Silas Mwicira and Marie Claire Mukamitali. In a family of five, four boys and a girl, Dady de Maximo is the second-born.

"At 12 years of age, I lost my father and a brother who was the last born in the family during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Having hidden in the forest for over 32 days, I was saved by Rwanda Patriotic Force (RPA) who I joined as a young soldier but quit in 1996,” Mitali solemnly narrates.

When he left the army, he immediately joined school where he attained the post of a provincial commissioner in charge of training and culture, as well as conflict mediator in a scouts association.

"From 1999 I worked in various fields and they include; being a transmitter-operator for German radio Deutsche, Logistic/technician, store officer, First Aid worker, advisor to Rwanda’s Press House and as a presenter on Contact FM. I wrote, directed and produced a documentary known as ‘By the shortcut’ which was about the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and it centers on the victims who were drowned in various water bodies including rivers, lakes and boreholes,” he explains.

The multitalented Dady de Maximo elucidates his road towards the fashion world since he has achieved a lot as model, leading to his becoming a fashion designer, with his own Agency known as DADMAX.

"I was walking from work one fateful day when a stranger approached me and asked if I was a model, I denied and I asked him what being a model meant, it was then that he told me that I walked like a model. 

He took me to Meridien currently known as Hotel Laico; I found girls doing the catwalk and a few men then they told me to try it, and from that day onwards, I never looked back,” he describes.

He has made his name in the fashion fraternity since he created his first collection in 2006, naming it "The new image of Rwanda” and each year he participates in various fashion shows around the Globe.

"I name my collection according to a situation, my current collection is known as ‘Haiti’. I get the inspiration to design in times of sorrow, or when I’m moody,” he stresses. 

Regarding the current trend in which men have clinched on the notion of dressing up in bright coloured clothes, formerly considered as feminine colours; as well as the issue of men applying makeup, Dady de Maximo takes his stand.

"That depends on the weather and the texture of the clothes.  For instance, satin shirts are not appropriate on a shiny day since the texture easily absorbs heat thus it is not good for one’s skin, and gives off a nasty odor which is a put-off. 

Such material is suitable for evening wear or for occasions but if it’s a cotton fabric, then one can wear it at all times. Bright colours look appeasing on men, most especially if matched well with the right trousers and shoes. One then doesn’t need to add a necktie on bright-coloured shirts. In fact men are not supposed to blend different bright colours, the way women do it.

If a man decides to apply makeup, I don’t see anything wrong with it as long as it’s what he wants; however applying coloured lipstick is totally inadvisable since he would look so awkward,” he explains.

With all the success, he is not married, although his idea is to be hardworking.

"I look past the beauty and make up on a woman. Besides being loving and understanding, she has to be intelligent,” Dady de Maximo stresses.

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