Kinshasa, December 11th, 2025 (CPA) – Bold fashion designs were presented as a true cultural language by the Ministry of Culture during the first edition of Kolwezi Fashion Week, held in the province of Lualaba in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a press release seen by CPA on Thursday. “Participating in Kolwezi Fashion Week meant connecting with creative young people who are reinventing Congolese aesthetics, listening to the dreams expressed through fabrics, and recognizing the boldness of those who make fashion a true cultural language,” the statement read.
“Through this unifying event, the Minister of Culture, Arts, and Heritage, Yolande Elebe Ma Ndembo, stood alongside a generation that proudly flies the flag of Congolese innovation, identity, and talent through their clothing designs,” the ministry’s press release stated. Warmly welcomed by the governor of Lualaba, Fifi Masuka, the source reported that the national minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to decentralizing culture, bringing it to life, circulating it, and spreading it throughout the territories. Kolwezi Fashion Week promotes emerging fashion in Africa. However, Minister Yolande Elebe praised the Kolwezi Fashion Week initiative, which highlights the talents of young designers and pattern makers at the provincial and national levels. « Kolwezi offered more than a fashion show: it offered a space where culture could breathe, express itself, and project itself. This event, which showcases African fashion designs, is a real foundation for innovation, creativity, and the development of our cultural and creative industries, » the source concluded. Held from November 29th to December 2nd, 2025, Kolwezi Fashion Week began with a simple idea: to show the world that creativity is one of Kolwezi’s greatest resources. What began as a celebration of fashion has become a space where culture, identity, and innovation meet. Thousands of visitors from all walks of life made the trip to see the “Fashion Village,” an interactive public space during Kolwezi Fashion Week where creativity, beauty, and culture came together. Visitors, fashion lovers, and Congolese authorities exchanged ideas on the theme of fashion, live performances, workshops, photo experiences, and VIP moments in an open setting where Kolwezi presented styles, the memories, traditions, and identities that shape its diverse cultural wealth, beyond the province’s underground riches. ACP/