Rwandan luxury fashion brand IZUBAA recently unveiled its latest collection tagged NDABAGA, named after one of the most renowned heroines of Rwandan history.
According to the statement of the brand:
Ndabaga, a remarkable 18th-century female warrior, faced the challenges of growing up as an only child, unaware of her father’s identity as he served in the King’s army. Realizing the need for a male successor, she disguised herself as a boy and underwent rigorous training to secure her father’s release from military duty. The rumours surrounding Ndabaga’s true gender reached the King, leading to a confrontation. However, instead of condemning her, the King acknowledged her courage and proposed marriage as a testament to her remarkable qualities.
Ndabaga has emerged as an iconic symbol of youth and women’s empowerment, and her inspiring story has become an integral part of Rwanda’s educational curriculum. Building upon this legacy, our brand has embarked on a new journey of self-expression by intertwining our personal narratives within our designs. Extensive research into traditional Rwandan motifs has led us to create three different prints for this season.
Firstly, we present “The Zebraba,” a captivating fusion of the timeless Zebra print with the richly meaningful “Ibaba” motif, derived from Rwandan culture and symbolizing bird’s wings in the local language of Kinyarwanda.
Next, we introduce “The Itweka-Ndabaga,” a unique amalgamation of the revered “Itweka” motif, which gained popularity during the 20th century, and a specially crafted in-house portrait drawing of Ndabaga.
Last, but not least, we proudly present “The Ikirobero,” inspired by the fishing nets used near the breathtaking Lake Kivu. This design pays homage to the traditional practices intertwined with the natural beauty of the region.
With this collection, we aim to celebrate the spirit of Rwandan heritage and promote a sense of connection through our meaningful and meticulously crafted prints.
The brand’s latest offering is in two distinct lines: Bespoke luxury suits made with 100% Italian wool and a Prêt-à-porter line offering more affordable and featuring streetwear pieces like poche bomb cargo pants and denim duos. The colour palette ranges from fresh tones of ice mint, sky blues, and light greys to timeless shades of beige, black, and emerald green, creating a chic and sophisticated look that lets the prints shine.
See the collection below.
Credit
Brand: @izu.baa