Belgium-based Rwandan musician Fayçal ‘Kode’ Ngeruka has diverted from music and ventured into the fashion industry by launching a modelling agency. The talented singer has opened a fashion company dubbed ‘Red Models Agency’ that will specifically deal with fashion-related business in Belgium. The company will be representing fashion models which it will be linking to different companies for commercial and advertorial purposes. Kode told The New Times that he planned to venture into fashion for years but could not get time for it since he had to concentrate on music. “I have been a big fan of fashion for a long time and I knew I would end up in fashion one day. It was, however, not easy for me to jump into it because I was fighting to build my music career. Now that I have a backup team, I feel that this is the right time to do something that I love,” he said in an interview. “I am not going to become a fashion designer as such. I will be acting as the manager of fashion professionals, especially models, with whom we can do some types of businesses with different companies here in Belgium be it modelling and acting in video songs among others,” he added. Kode revealed that he tried to join fashion some years back but could not handle it along with music on his own. He later reassessed the possibility to do the two under the support from his new backup team which is behind the management of his company’s businesses. He said his fashion company will create a platform for young African models in Belgium to showcase their talents and potential in an industry dominated by Belgian models. “African models here are so rare because the fashion industry is dominated by Belgians. And we, Africans artists from different fields, need such models in our everyday job and I thought this would be a good idea to give them a chance to shine and help us in different fashion-related businesses,” he said. Kode insists switching into fashion business won’t put his career in danger as a musician as he remains focused on his music with his new management. He released his new single ‘Hot Choco’ last week. The single is part of Kode’s four-track Extended Play (EP) dubbed ‘4J’. “Of course, I am a musician by profession but I can still do fashion as a business aside. So, doing business into something I love does not mean that I am quitting music,” he said. ‘Red Models Agency’ is a department of Kode’s recently-established ‘Red Magic Studio’, which also provides services in audio and video music production. The label works with a team of seven key persons including a studio photographer and makeup artist (both Rwandese), an video producer and four audio producers, including two Congolese, a Ghanaian and a Rwandan.
