KA M PA LA -KIGA LI FASHION

Written by EvaLubulwa

Theheartbeat of busyness ran behind the big oak doors at the event hall, with models attaching their high heels, hair spray buzzing as the desperate attempt to get that last wayward hard to lie down, designers were shifting and decreasing the hearts works and all the while at the front the silence of anticipation lingered This was the first Kampala Kigali Fashion Week and to say the pressure was huge would be an understatement

Honourable guests included General David Muhoozi, Andrew Mwenda Rwandan ambassador to Uganda and the Irish ambassador to Uganda & Rwanda Ambassador Kevin Colgan who came to support and witness the very first Kampala Kigali Fashion Week

The Kampala Kigali Fashion Week 2023 was the brainchild of JOHN BUNYESHULI, a lover of fashion who has taken the Kigali Fashion Week brand In a number of big cities, This was his new project, set up as an initiative to breed collaboration and mend relationship between Uganda and Rwanda though creativeexploits This show was a thread to tie nations together and in the calm before the storm John B sat their wide-eyed waiting to see if his idea would come to life.

At the point that the silence seemed too heavy a loud drum beat crashed through awakening the waiting crowd. The drums continued and grew from outside the hall coming closer and closer until the room erupted with Rwandan cultural dancers This was a present from the Embassy a token of support to an initiative that meant so much to the two countries As a Rwandan cultural dance troop jumped and swayed the audience was mesmerized by the display of talent and skill Kampala Kigali Fashion Week had finally begun

The event was run by a small group who driven by passion put all their skills and contacts together to ensure that the event was a great success. Models exited a door covered in green ferns and white flowers and walked a runway that weaved through the audience past large trees only to disappear into another garden framed door

Written by EvaLubulwa

Photography by Anderson

The runway was graced by Ugandan designers starting with Guiza, Vinn Wear, Jo Kisaka, Waya and Rwandan Designer KAREN UWERA an entrepreneur, the founder & creative director of Karssh Collections, she is also the current elected chairperson of the Rwanda fashion designers association In her capacity as a key individual player, she was very instrumental in the success of KKFW

Each collection was unique and glamourous with 28 modelsglidingaround aflower seamed runway Therunway production looked effortlessbecauseof months of effort from a young Kampala producer QRISKAKOOZA of Dynasty Productions Thefront of house productions and graphics were supplied by a Australian/ Ugandan EVA LUBULWA who darted non-stop to ensurethat not asingleproblem occurred

The show went off without a hitch designer after designer graced therunway with thesecond half of the designers showcasing their skills with Senkulu, Signature and Kais Divo the creative brainchild of KaijukaAbbas

The first Kampala Kigali Fashion Week 2023 was a complete success with the crowd amazed by the talent of both countries, this was an important step for building peace and collaboration between Rwandaand Uganda