Cameroon Fashion Design : Chantal Biya Encourages Young Designers

Some seven young fashion designers through a red carpet evening catwalk that lasted 90 minutes held spellbound an enthusiastic audience with their high-end designs crafted with local materials from all the ten regions of the country. This was during the 2023 edition of the Cameroon Fashion Design week which rounded off at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel on June 9, with runway models representing the haute couture, handbags and hairstyles from some Cameroonian designers. The matron of the event, First Lady of Cameroon, Chantal Biya, was present at the event not only to honour and encourage the ambitious designers, but also to spice the event with colour and glamour. The First Lady was joined by several members of government and members of the diplomatic corps.
In her usual jovial and cheerful manner, Fashionista Chantal Biya, in a stunning pink dress, joined a host of other guests to appreciate fashion made in Cameroon. It was an evening in the spirit of the world’s great Fashions Weeks. It was an exciting 90 minutes that brought fashion to life. Runway models kept the audience either cheering or holding up their mobile phones to snap the latest mode in town. The fashion parade celebrated Cameroon, Africa in miniature on the theme: “Africa in us: a return to our roots.” It was also an opportunity for young national and international designers to thank the First Lady of Cameroon for her support in encouraging and making sure that the fashion domain in the country is known worldwide. 
Through the catwalk, the runway models unveiled a part of the cultural history of Cameroon that has so far been obscured by imported values. Tapping into the unsophisticated creativity of Cameroon’s history, the designers through their couture, hairstyles and handbags, made a journey through the artistic history of the African continent in general and Cameroon in particular, while paying tribute to ancestral crafts. 
The runway models did not hesitate to represent the beauty of each brand by walking down the runway in a perfect manner. While using a specific style of walking, models during the fashion show portrayed the beauty of how local fabrics and accessories have been transformed into haute couture, beautiful hand bags among other things. There is no doubt the young designers, Yannick and Innocent showcased attires made with textiles from the grassland alongside extraordinary hairstyles...