Uganda’s fashion industry has grown from a small creative sector into a more established part of the country’s cultural and business landscape, with designers and fashion entrepreneurs helping shape how Ugandans present themselves through clothing.
Among the names associated with the development of Uganda’s fashion scene are Sylvia Owori, Anita Beryl, Brenda Maraka, Santa Anzo of Arapapa, Sheila Lukwanzi and Stella Atal.
Anita Beryl
Anita Beryl is the founder and chief executive of Beryl Qouture, a Ugandan fashion label focused on couture and ready-to-wear clothing.
The brand has become known for its work in high-end fashion and for producing designs aimed at both local and international clients.
Beryl has also contributed to the growth of Uganda’s fashion industry through fashion shows, styling and other creative work around the brand.
Santa Anzo
Santa Anzo is the founder and chief designer of Arapapa Fashion, one of the established names in Uganda’s fashion industry.
Anzo has consistently argued that fashion should be viewed as a business and source of employment rather than only as entertainment built around models and catwalks.
Her work has included fashion design, production and advocacy for the development of Uganda’s fashion industry.
Sylvia Owori
Sylvia Owori is a veteran of Uganda’s fashion and modelling industry and the founder of Sylvia Owori and Zipa Modeling Agency.
She has been involved in fashion and modelling for decades and is among the Ugandan entrepreneurs who helped establish a professional fashion and modelling industry.
Owori’s work has extended beyond clothing design to modelling, beauty and fashion business, giving her a significant role in the industry’s development.
Brenda Maraka
Brenda Maraka is a textile designer whose work draws on Uganda’s art, culture and traditions.
Her approach to fashion has included the use of textiles as a way of expressing cultural identity while creating contemporary designs.
Maraka has also used fashion to promote Ugandan craftsmanship and cultural heritage.
Sheila Lukwanzi
Sheila Lukwanzi is the designer behind the Lukwanzi fashion label, which has developed a distinctive approach to contemporary clothing.
The label is known for unisex designs and an emphasis on experimentation and individual style.
Lukwanzi’s work represents a newer generation of Ugandan designers using fashion to challenge conventional ideas about clothing and gender.
Stella Atal
Stella Atal is another Ugandan designer associated with the country’s contemporary fashion scene. Her work has contributed to the visibility of Ugandan fashion and its designers.
Together, these designers represent different stages and approaches within Uganda’s fashion industry, from modelling and couture to textile design, cultural preservation and contemporary unisex fashion.
