THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ELEGANT

EVERY NICHE OF A FASHION MOVEMENT HAS IT’S OWN DISTINCTIVE HISTORY, AND THE SAPEURS OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ARE NO DIFFERENT.

Imagine the men of the Belgian Congo in 1965 on the eve of independence, all trussed up in western attire, waiting for Lieutenant General Mobutu to declare the end of Belgian Colonial rule, and finally able to celebrate self-governance. But with the power now in the hands of the fiercely pro-African Mobutu, the three pieces suit was deemed a symbol of western repression. In it’s place, men were advised to wear the ‘abacost’, (an abbreviation for the French ‘à bas le costume’ – literally ‘down with the suit’), a short or long sleeved button up jacket with a high collar, worn without a shirt and incidentally an imitation of the tunic favoured by Chairman Mao. See, the self claimed Father of the Nation was a fan of Maoist ideology as well as his fashion sense.

Embarking on a fiercely nationalistic campaign of pro-African cultural awareness, Mobutu renamed the country ‘Zaire’ and outlawed many aspects of colonial life including Christian names (citizens were to be re-named with African ones), and also the Three Piece Suit. Between 1972 and 1990 Zairians were banned from wearing suits with a shirt and tie to symbolise the break with their colonial past. As with a great deal of political upheavals, the non-violent backlash presented itself in a new fashion movement. Many men deeply revered the dapper three-piece-suits imported from the stylish Fashion houses of France and Belgium and continued to wear them despite Mobutu’s ban.

La Sape — the Society of Ambience and People of Elegance (from the French ‘Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes’) — was launched by Papa Wemba, the world music star, in the 1970s when he thrilled Zairians by flouting the dress code by appearing Zairian television dressed head to toe in European designers. He called his new style Ungaru, and it was a throwback to the sophistication of the 1930s in the West: complete with tapered trousers, brogues, neatly parted hair, and trilby hats worn at a rakish angle. For Zairians all over the world, the look was irresistible. He had given birth to La Sape.

His band, Viva La Musica, took fashion-worship in Zaire to a new level, even writing designer names into song lyrics. Designer brands of suits and accessories are of the utmost importance to Sapeurs – Pierre Cardin, Roberto Cavalli, Dior, Fendi, Gaultier, Gucci, Issey Miyake, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Paul Smith, Versace, Yohji Yamamoto – are their patron saints, indeed La Sape is a religion of sorts, complete with a set of commandments to adhere to.

Sapeurs have perennially become from focus of Western media attention from as early as the late 1980s, but it is only since world-class photographers like Héctor Mediaville began studying and photographing Sapeurs in 2003 that they have become visible on the fashion radar. The Italian photographer Daniele Tamagni has thrown the Sapeurs into the media spotlight once more with the recent publication of Gentlemen of Bakongo: The Importance of Being Elegant, a stunning collection of all his subjects in full dandy regalia. In 2007 he won the best portfolio in the Canon Young Photographer award for Italy with his images of the Congolese dandies.

Often pictured against a backdrop of extreme poverty, Tamagni creates striking juxtapositions in every photograph. Many of his subjects live in shacks bordered by stinking sewers in the southern suburbs of Brazzaville. Those who can work double jobs; those who can’t must beg, borrow and occasionally steal; whatever it takes to strut in designer gear at the pinnacle of sophistication.

Within the Sape movement there are good-natured rivalries and incontestable affiliations: Paris vs Brussels, Brazzaville vs Kinshasa, Bakongo vs Mungali. The Brazzaville Sapeurs tend to follow the three colours only rule; meanwhile in Kinshasa it’s all about going overboard.

The removal of Mobutu in 1997 sparked a civil war in Zaire, now renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo, and La Sape halted its activities. Their motto became “let’s drop the weapons, let us work and dress elegantly” as Sapeurs stand for a unique morality; “there can only be Sape when there is peace” so did not reinitiate its activities until 2002. The exaggerated reality of the Congolese Sape shows us Africa from a different angle. Instead of the usual fare of continual conflicts, famines, despotism and tribalism we have an unknown and extravagant movement that laughs in the face of these troubles.

Indeed, Paul Smith paid homage to La Sape and based his entire Spring 2010 women’s wear collection on the images in Tamagni’s book. The striking image on the front cover features a Sapeur in a bright pink suit with red lining and a red bowler hat. Smith, who made his name in colourful Men’s wear, showcased his eye for flamboyancy with the new Women’s Wear collection. The first model strutted in an androgynous copycat piece of Tamagni’s cover and the following pieces were women’s suits cut with very narrow shoulders and a long, slim style. Colours were uniformly bright and African prints were also used to set off many outfits.

Words Almaz Ohene

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