IGC fashion is a Ugandan streetwear label based in Kampala whose inspirations are based on imagined scenarios of how the art of an ancient African fashion might look when combined with the modern urban architecture and the futuristic feel we experience developing around us.IGC is inspired by African tradition, heritage and culture always paired with a forward-thinking and unique design aesthetic.
We look at a garment as a moving, breathing piece of sculptural art, which can be used as a vehicle for communicating and questioning ideas about our culture ,we use natural and indegnous materials such as Nsimbi (cowrie shells), Lubugo (barkcloth), second-hand garments as fabrics combined with experimental shapes and patterns to make clothes. IGC Fashion use fashion as a tool for positive social change through our community fashion outreach programs ( Fashion cyphers) we carry out once a month around Uganda. On top of this, and organises an annual fashion events called ''Kwetu Kwanza'' , meaning “ours first”, that aims on spreading awareness about the impacts of unsustainable consumption of fashion and waste.leading to a more sustainable fashion future without negative social and environmental impacts.
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How I ended up into fashion? I couldn’t afford fancy clothes during high school and always had one thing in mind: that one day I’m going to be the one making all the outfits I like for myself without spending much. At the same time I looked at the other people like the street kids, the people in slums ...the people whom I thought had the same desire to get ‘the fancy clothes’, yet had little money to buy them. This pushed me to learn fashion to be able to make what I can wear for myself, but also to be able to share with others in the same situation. And of course I wanted to get an income generating activity to support myself. (BLAK)
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I chose fashion because when I was very little my Jajja used to sew for me all the clothes I wore to school and when she passed away I felt like that was something that could still connect me to her memory. I’m rooted in the community because whenever I’m in a taxi or walking on the street and I see a street child that’s something I can't ignore and I feel really touched. But I also felt really inspired that even when they are going through all these struggles they still have a smile on their faces.
