Sonia Mugabo | Contributing Writer

Over the century, when you think of Africa, you probably think of war, poverty, and violence. But when you get to experience the real Africa, the Africa I know, you will find there is so much more to it than that. There is art; there is culture; and there is beauty. With my senior art show, I wanted to portray those ideas to make people aware of this. When you come to Africa, you feel a new kind of energy. You see people with so little, yet they are full of life; they are so happy. With me graduating this May, I just wanted to leave a mark here at Buena Vista University (BVU), and I used my expertise in fashion, design, and photography to do just that.

The name of my show is Afrikana Exquisiteness. “Afrikana” is the African way of saying African. “Exquisiteness” is the adverb for exquisite, meaning characterized by beautiful design. Afrikana Exquisiteness is about African fashion in the form of magazine format. I use my artistic, photographic, graphic design, and writing skills to execute my work. Also, whether it’s on the runway or the most exclusive houses of fashion, the buzz right now in the fashion industry is young and African. This is where I get my inspiration.

Today, the fashion industry is more accepting of a diverse range of young, unique voices that are ready to take on the fashion world. This current fashion trend is the main drive for my show. I styled all my models; I experimented with a mixture of bold colors, prints, and patterns to showcase my African roots.

For me, it is about creating an experience where the woman makes a statement, creating a brand that has a very sophisticated and modern feel but is still traditional. With my photography, it was about creating a moment that is going to make a woman feel glamorous yet comfortable. As a woman and as a designer, it makes me feel great to know that I can create that moment for an individual.

Photo by Sonia Mugabo