Congolese dandies: Meet the stylish men and women of Brazzaville in pictures | Art and design
Publish date: 2024-10-09
Congolese dandies: Meet the stylish men and women of Brazzaville – in pictures
Since the 1920s, the sapeurs of the Congo have been making sartorial statements on the streets of Brazzaville and Kinshasa. Tariq Zaidi shot them in their home communities
@mlestone Main image: Flamboyant ... Nkodia Aurelie.Thu 27 Aug 2020 02.00 EDT Last modified on Thu 27 Aug 2020 16.09 EDT
Ntsimba Marie Jeanne, housewife and sapeuse for 20 years, in Brazzaville
The British photographer Tariq Zaidi shot sapeurs, sapeuses and younger mini sapes at home in their low-income communities. Here, Ntsimba Marie Jeanne wears suit by Jean Courcel, shirt by Pierre Cardin, scarf by Chanel, glasses by Versace and shoes by JM Weston. Sapeurs: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo is published in September and is available to pre-order through through Kehrer Verlag and the Guardian Bookshop Share on Facebook Share on TwitterIsraell Mbona, five-year-old school student and sapeur for three years, in Kinshasa
Zaidi says: ‘Brazzaville and Kinshasa are on opposite banks of the Congo river, almost directly across from one another, yet they have different styles. In Brazzaville, La Sape is mainly “French style” (which means exquisite suits), but in Kinshasa anything goes, from Japanese Yamamoto coats to Scottish kilts.’ Israell Mbona wears a jacket by Big Guy, kilt from Scotland, shirt by Unique, a hat he got for Christmas, plus locally made pipe and shoes by Versace Share on Facebook Share on TwitterClementine Biniakoulou, housewife and sapeuse for 36 years, in Brazzaville
Though the subculture is traditionally passed down through the male line, many Congolese women began donning designer suits and becoming sapeuses. By challenging Congolese patriarchal society in this way, they are returning to La Sape’s origins by reversing power dynamics Share on Facebook Share on Twitter(Left to right) Ntsimba Marie Jeanne, businesswoman and sapeuse for 20 years, Okili Nkoressa, 10-year-old student and sapeur for five years, and Judith Nkoressa, policewoman and sapeuse for 18 years, in Brazzaville
Tariq’s aim is to highlight the important role ‘La Sape’ plays in its practitioners’ defiance of circumstance, through the stark contrast of the elegance of their dress against the harsh backdrop of their surroundings. Both Congo nations are in one of the world’s poorest regions, and so, at first glance, La Sape are an extraordinary sight Share on Facebook Share on TwitterBoukaka Guy, electrician and sapeur for 25 years and Arle Nkondani Mantsende, driver and sapeur for eight years, in Brazzaville
Most sapeurs and sapeuses have 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 Share on Facebook Share on TwitterYamea Bansimba Jean Claude, bricklayer and sapeur for 50 years, in Brazzaville
True sapologie is about more than expensive labels: the art lies in a sapeur’s ability to put together an elegant look that is unique to their personality. Yamea Bansimba Jean Claude wears a jacket by Point De Rue, trousers and shirt by Giorgio Armani, unbranded bow tie and French-style pipe, glasses by Cartier, walking cane by Vermeiren, Italian-style socks and shoes by JM Weston Share on Facebook Share on TwitterNatan Mahata, eight-year-old student and sapeur for three years, in Kinshasa.
La Sape is a constantly evolving movement, as disenfranchised youths use fashion as a way of navigating their nations’ journeys from developing countries into more cosmopolitan futures. Natan Mahata wears jacket and hat by Zara, trousers by Place, shirt by Pierre Cardin, braces by Boris and shoes by JM Weston Share on Facebook Share on TwitterKass Makenga, clothes seller and sapeur for 20 years, in Brazzaville
Makenga wears a suit and shirt by Christian Berger, waistcoat and hat by Giorgio Armani, walking cane from the Congo and shoes by JM Weston Share on Facebook Share on TwitterNkodia Aurelie, businesswoman and sapeuse for 36 years, in Brazzaville
Dressed in flamboyant $2,000 (£1,500) outfits complete with bow ties, fedoras and umbrellas, the sapologists strut their stuff across dirt roads in 40-degree heat. The gross national income per capita in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the opposite bank of the Congo river from Brazzaville, was $900 in 2018, which puts the purchase of $1,300 crocodile-skin shoes into perspective Share on Facebook Share on TwitterMaxime Pivot Mabanza, teacher of La Sape and sapeur for 36 years, in Brazzaville
Congolese people are known for taking pride in their appearance – the adage is that they would rather dress well than eat well – yet La Sape takes the art of looking good to the next level Share on Facebook Share on TwitterBlandine Nkouka Hombessa, businesswoman and sapeuse for 35 years, in Brazzaville
She wears a suit and shirt by Carucci, glasses by Ellesse, unbranded bow tie and braces and socks by Fil d’Ecosse Share on Facebook Share on TwitterFrancis Okiemi, 14-year-old student and sapeur for three years, Steven Okiemi, nine-year-old student and sapeur for one year, in Brazzaville
Francis wears a jacket by Janbell, trousers by Timing, shirt by Rabee, hat by Canda, scarf by Coca Cola and shoes by Botini. Steven wears kilt, hat and scarf from Scotland, shirt by Miss Dolce, locally made waistcoat and shoes by Gorila Share on Facebook Share on TwitterBasile Gandzion, human resources manager and sapeur for 30 years, in Brazzaville
He wears suit by Jean Courcel, shirt and tie by Christian Dior, hat by Foster, socks by Pierre Cardin and shoes by Westbull Share on Facebook Share on TwitterMbemba Eulalie, housewife and sapeuse for 20 years, in Brazzaville
She wears a jacket by Hoffmann, shirt and bow tie by Pierre Cardin, hat by Burton and shoes by John Foster Share on Facebook Share on TwitterEdwige Mbourangon, saleswoman and sapeuse for seven years, in Brazzaville
She wears a suit by Aristote, shirt by L and 20 29, bow tie by Pierre Cardin, belt by Grand Junction and Oxford shoes Share on Facebook Share on TwitterBlazer Matsokota, technician and sapeur for 19 years, in Brazzaville
He wears jacket by Altino, trousers by Pure Cotone, waistcoat by Zara, shirt by TM Lewin, hat from Italy, glasses by Prada, watch by Cartier, locally made pipe, socks by Falke and Westbury shoes.Sapeurs: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo will also be shown at Visa Pour l’Image-Perpignan, International Festival of Photojournalism, France from 29 August Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
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