The Congo Dandies

Meet the Congo Dandies, those who boast of being the best dressed Congolese people in the world.

They are a part of a movement called “La Sape” –  those who have extraordinary fashion sense and charismatic personalities. La Sape derives from France and is directly known as “The Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People”.

These Sapeurs are treated as local celebrities wherever they go in Congo, turning heads as they walk through the dusty streets with their designer clothes.

Brightly coloured clothes, sunglasses and leather shoes are highlighted to whoever gazes on the Sapeur. To the Sapeur, one must flaunt what one has in an effort to shine.

Yet the Sapeurs’ high-end fashion and designer clothes are a stark contrast to the otherwise poverty stricken country they live in. The Republic of Congo in Central Africa is amongst some of the poorest countries on Earth.

How do the Sapeurs get the money for their designer clothes? The cold truth is they spend everything they have, even at the expense of taking a loan, to buy the most expensive clothes they can get their hands on. 

To the Congo Dandy however, one must have an arsenal of elegance, the right combination of colours and textures, brand-names and the highest quality materials. Sophistication is everything.