"I Have Loyalty Inside the Matheo Brand": The Future Warriors Collection 2023 Releazed

It is not easy for an upcoming fashion designer to capture the attention and emotions of fashion lovers in Kigali and even on an international level. The Matheo fashion brand was founded in 2019 by Mr. Niyigena Maurice. As of now, the brand itself is shining in the eyes of fashion lovers in Kigali, and many positive comments to this talented upcoming fashion designer. 

PHOTO: Made by the Matheo

“I do love black and white, especially for the big shows, and unique photos, I feel like my creations there are not just clothes but also a story as well as artistic pieces. To me, I feel like their stories should be heard more in black and white” said Maurice CEO & Creative Direct of Matheo

PHOTO: Mr. Niyigena Maurice CEO & founder of the Matheo Brand 

 After listening to comments from different fashion lovers due to the story 40 LOCAL FASHION DESIGNERS TO VISIT IN RWANDA which was published by the RCFS’s Media. We got some questions and comments from our readers regarding this list of local fashion designers. The list includes established fashion designers and new, young, and upcoming. 

Today, we pick Mr. Maurice as the upcoming fashion designer who most raised attention and emotions on that list of 40 local fashion designers to visit in Rwanda, especially among the talented upcoming fashion designers to watch in 2023. According to the fashion lovers and fashion entrepreneurs who talked with the RCFS’s Media about the Matheo designs around Kigali, many people said “A fashion designer to watch in 2023”

PHOTO: Made by the Matheo, during the Merece benz Kigali fashion week 2022

 The RCFS’s Media organized an interview with Mr. Maurice to learn more about his brand. During the interview, our journalist asked him questions that fashion lovers want to know about his brand and where he got his inspiration.  To understand his journey, our journalist used a saying kind of a technique we have in Kigali among fashion event organizers  “Till fitting is done I will know if my fashion designers are ready or not” 

 The fashion organizers started to use the saying “Till fitting is done I will know if my fashion designers are ready or not” between 2014 and 2015, when some runway known runway models started refusing to wear (showcase) clothes (Creations during the fashion show) of an upcoming fashion designer because some of the clothes of the upcoming fashion designers were not either well finished or not well measured. These known models have always refused to wear clothes of the upcoming fashion designers even during their independent or photoshoots. 

PHOTO: Model during Photoshoot, Made by the Matheo 

“I cannot wear his clothes(an upcoming fashion designer) their fabrics make me (my skin) inch and their clothes are not really well done,” said a runway model in 2016 during the RCFS, at Sports View Hotel, Remera, in Kigali. 

During the fitting day, the organizers are always crossing their fingers so some runway models don’t refuse to wear creations of the upcoming fashion designers. However, the difference from this saying, is what attracted the attention and emotion of fashion lovers to the Motheo brand including working with well-known local runway models as well as international models which fashion lovers said “ Matheo is really convincing everyone including known local runway models, and international ones”

 Among the known runway models who are working with the Matheo brand include Irina Breslavets-Druzhinina, an international model and actress, Casting Director, and producer. 

PHOTO: Irina Breslavets-Druzhinina, an international model and actress, Casting Director, and producer

PHOTO: Irina Breslavets-Druzhinina, an international model and actress, Casting Director, and producer wearing a dress Made by the Matheo

Other local runway models who work with the Matheo brand include a professional model, Mucyo Sandrinewho worked with most of all the big fashion events that have been happening in Rwanda and other international fashion weeks, Kunda Model ,  Eunice Jisca Uwayo,  Poupounyu Cynthia 

PHOTO: Professional runway model Mucyo Sandrine wearing Made by the Matheo

PHOTO: Professional runway model Kunda Model  wearing Made by the Matheo 

PHOTO: Professional runway model Poupounyu Cynthia  wearing a dress Made by the Matheo

PHOTO: Professional runway model  Eunice Jisca UWAYO  wearing outfit made by the Matheo

Interview questions: 

Journalist 

• Can you tell us about your brand? 

“My brand is Matheo, it is based in Musanze District but mostly operates in Kigali because that’s where there are a lot of things going on and even clients who enter the art of costume. So I started in 2019 where I was doing different stuffs you know finding myself and what kind of designs I was into, until I found that I was into costume making” said Mr Maurice

Journalist 

• How do you see Rwanda's fashion industry in general? 

The fashion industry in Rwanda is really growing faster, to me I think it is on a good stage. You can see, before the covid-19 pandemic many entrepreneurs had been investing in fashion and modeling. There were many and even after the recovery of the pandemic you can still see new and upcoming fashion designers, fashion photographers, and models, It's really good” said Mr Maurice. 

Journalist:

Some people say it is hard for a new upcoming fashion designer to convince clients in Kigali. 

• How do you see people understand fashion and buy made-in-Rwanda products? 

“To be honest things are changing in many ways, First you can see that the fashion designers are already established and some of them are getting better financially and some have associations and crew where they belong. Second, you can see that the government is supporting Made in Rwanda initiatives. I also see many people buying made in Rwanda from government officials and I can even see myself working with local artists for example signers to rent my creations to be used in the video filming said Mr Maurice 

PHOTO: Made by the Matheo

• Do you have any association or any crew you belong here in Rwanda? 

Yes, I do collaborate with other local fashion designers but not that much, you know my imaging designs are unique and different. Yes, I have not been in the industry for a long time that is why but yes I do try to find collabo. 

As of now, we have a kind of an association NOVELTY FASHION EXPERIENCE. which brings together different fashion brands including the Matheo by the way I would like to invite you and tell fashion lovers to book their calendars. We have an upcoming between 13-14october 2023. ” said Maurice

• Can you share examples of which local fashion designers have been working with? 

“I did collaboration and still do with Moses Turahirwa the CEO and founder of Moshions. And Moshiosn we collaborated I guess in like two projects. I have been also collaborating with the IZUBAA. I am also partnering with other fashion designers in styling concepts,” said Maurice  

PHOTO: Made by the Matheo

• Where does your inspiration come from? 

“I do get my inspiration actually from time, where I feel like the future, or the past, or the present. It is a dimension of the place that we are living in or that we will live in or that we lived in. So, through time, you can have a story to tell or you have a story that you can tell or you will have a story to tell, so time inspires me in the way that in the past we had our culture.

  For example, in Rwanda in our history our ancestors used to wear style because of their weather, now we are wearing something different from them depending on our weather today. Even in the future, I believe that we will have another way of wearing our clothes due to the weather or climate changes. 

The past is conservation for me, then the present is preservation and for the future it is expectations. On the way, I can tell you what the future is, the story that I can Imagine but I can tell you that story through my creations, through my designs” said Maurice 

PHOTO: Made by the Matheo

• What do you think other people think while wearing your designs or how do you want them to think? 

“I just want to let people enjoy the natural beauty of my creations. Avoiding something like a lot of distractions by the other colors. That is why I love using black and white to maintain love all around me when wearing black and white” said Maurice   

Journalist.

 Some fashion lovers said that your designs and your brand seem to have loyalty touches in terms of the way you design, market it, and the way you bring legacy in your creativity with models. 

• Is there any loyalty in your creations and your brand in general? 

“I believe that each human being has leaders, for them, I mean, for mankind to be saved especially my collection 2023. The collection itself is the future Warriors. It means there is that certain group of people or certain kingdom or certain country that people have to be saved depending on the future. I feel like we are all fighting to have one country, one continent where we all share the same culture and the same thing.  

I believe there will be a time when we will achieve that wish and then by that time will have one continent, one culture, and one people. Then we will be facing something beyond ourselves. The war above is just me and you fighting or me and the white person or white fighting with Asians. We will be fighting something beyond ourselves. 

Reflecting on my collection title The Future Warriors. It means we will need fighters to fight on outside, to fight for us and we will need saviors to protect us that is the meaning of my 2023 Collection” said Maurice   

PHOTO: Made by the Matheo

• What do you think about Kwita Izina? Are you ready for the guests? 

As it is Kwita Izina, it is a special day for us Rwandans, you know, and of course, I am very excited, and of course I am ready for it. This is me a Rwandan,

As an artist, It is not going to change a lot let me say anything, it is not something big for me as an artist on that day. I am not expecting something like organized events of fashion designers, exhibitions or I don’t even have an event by myself.  (Learn more about Kwita Izina Ceremony)

RCFS'S Media