- Jamilla Vera Swai
Unless you are familiar with the local fashion industry you most probably have not heard of Jamilla Vera Swai. This young woman compensates her petite stature by making grand, vibrant, exotic, all in your face extraordinaire designs. In her designs, she caters for everyone, from the small ones to the grown ups. There is nothing that this mother of one can not do, and when you actually meet her you get to be surprised by everything she has accomplished.
Born in a month of August in Dar es Salaam (a lady never tells her age) to a predominant Dr. Swai and his lovely wife Juliette (I can see where Jamilla gets her beauty from). Jamilla’s love affair with fashion started when she was just 7 years old. She would use her dolls to create clothes for. At the age of 14, while she was still in high school, as it usually happens, she caught a modeling agency’s eye and started modeling for adverts on local TV station in Maputo as well as designing for the agency she was signed with, The Studio Stilo.
Being of a petite stature and not being able to do modeling full time, Jamilla concentrated on what she was doing best, which was designing. To perfect her skills she joined Institute de Bela Artes in Maputo to study fashion then later on moved to Fashion College International in Nairobi to complete her studies.
She decided to return to her home town of Dar es salaam, open up Jamilla Vera Swai Design Studio and give the already established local designers some very heavy competition. Since then she has participated in various fashion shows and did some exclusive designs for her growing group of clients, including clothes for retail shops.
Now Jamilla Vera Swai has been invited by Mozambique Fashion Week, to represent Swahili Fashion Week at this Annual Event to be Held in Maputo from 6-12 December 2009.
“It’s a pleasure representing Tanzania and Swahili Fashion Week at the Mozambique Fashion Week. I had wanted to participate in International Events and my dreams shall now Come true” says Jamilla.
- Jamilla Vera Swai – Design at SFW 2009
She was selected by International producer Jan Malan and Mwamvita Makamba , Director of corpoarate Affairs Vodacom Tanzania during the Swahili Fashion Week.
Speaking of her collection to be unveiled on 12 December during the Pan African Showcase, “My collection is inspired by nature. I’ve used shades of brown, beige, cream, green, black and purple to emphasize this. Some darker dyes bleed into lighter colors to mimic a soaked garment when you walk on wet ground. The style is modern with an ethnic feel to it” Swai adds
During Swahili Fashion 2009 in association with Vodacom & ZTE designers Adelia and Sheila Tique from Mozambique had the opportunity to participate in November this year. This is just the Beginning of Strenghtening of Not only Political ties between Tanzania and Mozambique but also Cultural ties too. The Bond shall grow Deeper and stronger Year after year.
Jamilla Vera Swai - Design at SFW 2009
The Mozambique Fashion Week (MFW), is an artistic and cultural event, and is the only one in Mozambique that is connected to the desire to create and that works in discovering new talents and fashion designers, creating opportunities in opening new business markets and professional contacts for the fashion industry in Mozambique andworldwide.
Mozambique Fashion Week has as an objective of enhancing national fashion and beauty and also aims at expanding the fashion market in Mozambique, discovering new talents around the country.
The MFW is a driving vehicle for the development of the Mozambican fashion industry and a major tourist attraction in the promotion of culture and well-being, putting Mozambique in the itinerary of international fashion.
Mustafa Hassanali was the first designer to Represented Tanzania at the 2007 Edition of Mozambique Fashion Week.
BC wishes to congratulate Jamilla on her success and wishes her all the best in the future.
To put it simple; he is young and talented! That statement becomes even more true when you take a closer look on what he does; design wearable garments which are in the true sense of a combination of cultures,styles and fabrics. We are talking about Ally Rehmtullah(photo above)
Right now he is among the most respected fashion designers in Tanzania. And he is not done yet. He vividly mention that a lot more is coming from him. All you have to do,if you are a fashion enthusiast, is to wait for more. A lot more!
We recently caught up with him for a chit chat. Here is how it all went down;
BC: When and how did you decide to become a Fashion Designer? How did it all start?
AR: Fashion has been part of my life since my childhood.I have always loved fashion and design. But it got serious when I went to Philadelphia-USA to study graphics. When there, I also branched into fashion and graduated with both majors.
BC: Fashion is a personal statement, it has no rules. Whatever someone chooses to put on should be accepted. Do you agree with that statement?
AR: I do. To me fashion means wearing something that makes a statement. Anything that makes people turn around and stare at you in a good way.
BC: Then what do you think makes someone a great fashion designer?
AR: Having the right style, know what you are doing and how you do it.In Tanzania its all about who you are and what you do. A great fashion designer should also be seen at the right places with the right people and do the right things. (more…)
Sanaa ya ubunifu wa mitindo ya viwalo nchini Tanzania inazidi kukua.Leo hii sio jambo la ajabu kusikia habari za maonyesho ya mavazi.Pamoja na hayo, sanaa hiyo bado inahitaji kuongezwa nguvu kwa kuungwa mkono na wananchi na pia serikali. Tuipende mitindo ya kwetu na pia tununue mitindo na bidhaa za kwetu.
Miongoni mwa wabunifu ambao wanachangia kukua kwa sanaa hiyo ni kama wanavyoonekana pichani,Fatma Amour na Mustafa Hassanali.Hapo walikuwa pamoja wakati wa onyesho lililoandaliwa na Fatma na kuitwa Kakakuona.Onyesho lilifanyikia pale Dar Alive wiki iliyopita.
Photo/John Bukuku.
Pichani ni wabunifu wa mitindo ya mavazi Farha(kushoto) na Ally Rehmttulah(kulia).Picha hii ilipigwa na Mpoki Bukuku wakati wabunifu hao walipokuwa wanahudhuria onyesho la mavazi lililoitwa Lady in Red hivi karibuni jijini Dar-es-salaam.Ukitaka kupata vitu zaidi kuhusu kazi za Ally Rehmttulah unaweza kuitembelea tovuti yake kwa kubonyeza hapa.
It is every designers dream to be part of the London Fashion Week, and this year Ally Rehmtullah, a 22 year old Tanzanian designer was given this honour. On the 19th of September Ally Rehmtullah launched his new African Couture at the Museum of London during the London Fashion Week. Ally was also part of fashion diversity whereby as an established designer he was an inspiration to the young and upcoming designers in London. Ally Rehmtullah’s couture was modelled by MAHOGANY MODELS from London.Here are some images.
Mbunifu wa mavazi Mama Asia Idarous (kulia)akiwa amepozi na mtangazi wa Clouds Fm,Dina Marious,wakati wa fashion show iliyokwenda kwa jina Kimasomaso hivi karibuni jijini Dar-es-salaam.Vazi alilolivaa Dina ni mojawapo ya ubunifu wa Asia Idarous.Mavazi mengi yatumikayo kwenye harusi yalionyeshwa katika show hiyo.
Photo/Ahmad Michuzi
Hakuna ubishi kwamba kipindi cha PowerBreakfast kinachorushwa na radio ya Clouds FM ni mojawapo ya vipindi vya radio vyenye wapenzi na wasikilizaji wengi nchini Tanzania.
Hivyo basi haishangazi kwamba hivi karibuni watangazaji wawili wa kipindi hicho waliokuwa wamezoeleka,Masoud Kipanya(KP) na Fina Mango, walipopotea hewani maswali mengi yaliibuka.Wako wapi KP na Fina?Maoni na e-mails zikarushwa kwetu tukiombwa kuwatafuta na kujua nini kimetokea na kama wapo likizo tu au inakuwaje?
Wakati tukifanya juhudi za kujua nini kimetokea,blog maarufu ya Michuzi ikaandika habari iliyokuwa na kichwa cha habari Fina Mango na Masudi Kipanya niaje?Mjadala ukazuka.Kwa bahati nzuri,nasi tukawa tumebahatika kumpata mhusika mmojawapo yaani Masoud Kipanya(KP) ambaye hakusita kutupa yake machache kuhusu nini kimetokea au kilitokea,yuko wapi,anafanya nini nk.Anasisitiza kwamba nia yake ni kutoa ufafanuzi(kwa upande wake) ili watu wasiendelee kujenga picha ambazo pengine hazitakiwi kujengwa wala hazipo.
Je PowerBreakfast ya Masoud na Fina ndio imefikia kikomo? Je ni kweli kwamba masuala ya mshahara ndio yamesababisha wapotee hewani?Fuatana nasi katika mahojiano haya mafupi;
BC: KP,kwa muda wa wiki kadhaa sasa kumekuwepo na tetesi,minong’ono,udaku nk kuhusu kuwepo au kutokuwepo kwenu katika kipindi chenu maarufu cha PowerBreakfast kupitia CloudsFM.Hivi leo,blog ya Michuzi(bila shaka umesoma kilichoandikwa) iliweka kidogo kuhusiana na kilichokuwa kinazungumzwa mitaani. Je ukweli uko wapi? Upo au haupo tena katika PowerBreakfast?Nini kimetokea? (more…)
Mbunifu wa Mitindo maarufu,Khadija Mwanamboka, akiwa pamoja na Shamim Zeze,mmiliki na mwendeshaji wa blog ya 8020 Fashions,hivi karibuni jijini Dar. Khadija Mwanamboka ni miongoni mwa waanzilishi wa shirika lisilo la kiserikali lijulikanalo kama Tanzania Mitindo House ambalo linajaribu kusaidia watoto yatima na wasiojiweza nchini Tanzania. Mwaka jana tuliwahi kuongea kidogo na Mwanamboka kuhusiana na TMH.
Mbunifu wa mitindo ya nguo anayekuja juu kwa kasi nchini Tanzania,Ally Rehmtullah,akipita jukwaani kuwasalimia na kuwashukuru watu mbalimbali waliohudhuria show yake iliyofanyikia katika Hoteli ya Kilimanjaro Kempiski jijini Dar-es-salaam wiki iliyopita.Rehmtullah aliita show yake Temptations.Kwa habari zake zaidi unaweza kutembelea tovuti yake kwa kubonyeza hapa.
Kama kuna mafanikio yoyote katika masuala ya urembo ambayo Tanzania inaweza kujivunia,basi vielelezo vya mafanikio hayo ni mabinti wawili wanaoonekana pichani.Kushoto ni Nancy Abraham Sumari ambaye mwaka 2005 aliibuka kuwa Miss World Africa na Flaviana Matata,Miss Universe Tanzania 2007 ambaye pia aliipeperusha vyema bendera ya Tanzania huko nchini Mexico katika mashindano hayo ya dunia na kushika nafasi ya sita huku akiacha gumzo duniani kote kwa kuwa mshiriki wa kwanza wa mashindano hayo ambaye aliingia na “kipara”.
Usiku wa leo,Flaviana Matata, anatarajiwa kuonyesha mitindo ya mavazi ya mbunifu wa mitindo,Angelo Elly Mlaki katika Ukumbi wa Kituo Cha Utamaduni Cha Ufaransa(Alliance Francaise Cultural Center) kilichopo jijini Dar-es-salaam.Maonyesho hayo yamedhaminiwa na kampuni ya Compass Communications ambao ndio waratibu wa Miss Universe nchini Tanzania.