British photographer Tariq Zaidi presents a fashion subculture of Kinshasa & Brazzaville: La Sape, Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes (Society of Ambiance-Makers & Elegant People). Its followers are known as »Sapeurs« (»Sapeuses« for women). Most have ordinary day jobs as taxi-drivers, tailors and gardeners, but as soon as they clock off they transform themselves into debonair dandies. Sashaying through the streets they are treated like rock stars – turning heads, bringing ‘joie de vivre’ to their communities and defying their circumstances. Traditionally passed down through the male line, many Congolese women and their children have recently begun donning designer suits. As Papa Wemba (1949–2016, Congolese singer and fashion icon who popularized Sape) once said: »White people invented the clothes, but we make an art of it.«
Related products
-
Fashion - Men's Fashion
Bespoke: The Master Tailors of Savile Row
The skilled tailors of Savile Row in London have dressed kings, movie stars, rock legends, billionaires, and even a few regular guys. A Savile Row suit remains an enduring and highly individual symbol of the finest a man can buy. From its origins close to Britain’s main royal palaces, the Row has grown from clothing […]
349 SEK -
Fashion - Men's Fashion
The Sartorialist: MAN: Inspiration Every Man Wants, Education Every Man Needs
Whether you’re Trad or Goth, Boomer or Gen X, wear tailored or vintage, The Sartorialist: MAN will help you explore and hone your personal expression of style in the streetwear age. This is your chic primer to menswear, where you can finally learn about (or reacquaint yourself with) essential wardrobe elements. With Schuman’s dynamic street […]
415 SEK -
Fashion - Lifestyle - Men's Fashion - Photography
Dandy Lion: The Black Dandy and Street Style
Suits that pop with loud colors and dazzling patterns, complete with a nearly ubiquitous bowtie, define the style of the new “dandy.” Described as “high-styled rebels” by author Shantrelle P. Lewis, black men with a penchant for color and refined fashion, both new and vintage, have gained popular attention in recent years, influencing mainstream fashion. […]
315 SEK -
Fashion - Men's Fashion
The Perfect Gentleman
For the man who has everything, a book full of rich insight into what makes a product endure and bring pleasure to all who possess it. In an age of globalization with fashion trends that change by the day, the quality and workmanship of the great British luxury brands endure and flourish like never before. […]
349 SEK