BIENVENUE Ndayisaba started his professional journey as a painter in 2014, with time, he thought of ways to broaden his talent, hence creating ‘Imyihariko’ in 2019. The artist now focuses on customising clothing in Kigali and does multiple other things, including painting, tailoring, and drawing. ‘Imyihariko’, which means uniqueness, is an enterprise that customises clothes to suit a client’s preference, he explains. “Imyihariko is unique indeed since I do it my way as I get inspired by my surroundings, what’s trending, and sometimes following what a client desires,” says Ndayisaba, adding that he views fashion as art, and the way it is exhibited. Ndayisaba says that since 2019, he has gained more clients and is expanding his creativity so that his business can boost the fashion industry in Rwanda. Bienvenue Ndayisaba. / Courtesy The company customises different clothes, like pants, t-shirts, hoodies, and many more. “In 2019, there were few to no customised clothes, but I tried my best and did it to the people’s liking. It has been going well so far,” says Ndayisaba. Asked about the challenges, Ndayisaba says that the Rwandan community does not understand the concept of customised clothes and the fashion sense behind it. Also, the materials used in doing so are very expensive. “The materials we use are expensive, and it affects everything, and with that, people do not understand the pricing of the clothes.” The young artist says he has big plans for the fashion industry, including giving other people opportunities. “I want to make clothes in Rwanda, and once more people know about it, I’ll go to neighbouring countries and hire more young people with talent in this field,” Ndayisaba says. The artist is grateful to his mother who encourages him, and his entire team that works with him on various projects.
