"Kigali Fashion Week is Still Running": Interview with the CEO and Founder John Bunyeshuli.

" I will not be wrong if I say Kigali Fashion Week is the mother of many fashion entrepreneurs in our country which keeps this name in the hearts and memories of many people including most of all known and established fashion designers as well as the models" said XZ in PART 1

PHOTO: Kigali Fashion Week 2013

Many of our readers sent many comments from the stories Part 1 and Part 2 which were entitled Who Is Winning the Race Between Fashion Show Organizers in Rwanda?  Some of the fashion lovers' comments, commented that the RCFS's Media should reach out to all of these fashion show organizers to hear updates from them and their future plans.

"Kigali Fashion Week (KFW) is still running, I focus on international events, we did Japan and we did a European tour, and the recent Uganda edition was a peace initiative with the opening of the borders, and my team we are working on the Ethiopian edition coming soon," said John Bunyeshuli CEO & founder of KFW

PHOTO: John Bunyeshuli CEO & founder of the Kigali Fashion Week, during the conference in Kampala - Kigali Fashion Week 2023 fashion discussions 

PHOTO: Kigali International Fashion Week 2018, the Hague, in Holland- Europe Tour

PHOTO: Kigali International Fashion Week 2019, Tokyo Japan 

Experts in the fashion and textiles industry believe that there is no fashion without fashion shows. In the countries where the fashion industry is developed, most fashion lovers like to attend fashion shows to see the new styles and to see how they will look like if they purchase, Observing models on the runway gives them ideas about the clothes.

In Rwanda, it was not like this till fashion events started when many Rwandans started to learn how to style through fashion shows and even be proud of their homemade clothes from Kitenge fabric.

PHOTO: Kigali Fashion Week 2014

During the interview with the RCFS's Media, our journalist asked Mr. Bunyeshuli what positive changes fashion events brought to the fashion scene and also asked him to share updates from the KFW as many fashion lovers had been asking "Where is the KFW Now?

KFW was founded in 2012 and its 2013 edition was organized partnered with LDJ Productions, the company that runs New York Fashion Week. Since then, the event has become a platform to promote local fashion designers as well as models. The event has been a gatewaying for local fashion designers and models to reach the international market. According to Bunyeshuli the KFW had been promoting made-in-Rwanda products in a fashion that he is happy about.

PHOTO: Kigali Fashion Week 2013

PHOTOS: Sonia Rolland during the Photoshoot of the Kigali Fashion Week 2013

"My first editions were full because many people in Kigali wanted to come and see fashion designers and models. Fashion shows give fashion lovers a moment to meet with fashion designers. Fashion designers were able to sell. We did a lot to change our society's behaviors in fashion styling in Rwanda as well as the economy in the textiles industry and we are proud of this" said Bunyeshuli.

PHOTO: John Bunyeshuli in Kigali Fashion Week 2019

 There are many known and established local fashion designers who started their first showcasing at the KFW these include Sonia Mugabo who is a member of the CollectiveRw/ Rwanda Fashion Week. "My pieces are fully covered because I don't feel like a woman should have to reveal too much to be beautiful,"  said Sonia Mugabo in Kigali Fashion Week 2013, who was hoping to find local shops to stock her designs, and was planning to sell online.

PHOTO: Sonia Mugabo, CEO & founder of the Sonia Mugabo fashion brand 

PHOTO: Sonia Mugabo Launched her new Boutique of Fashion in  2016

PHOTO: Kigali Fashion Week 2014 - Made by Uzuri K & Y, currently a very well-known brand focusing on shoes  in Africa

Interview Questions:  

Journalist

• What is your comment on the current situation of the Arts and Creative in Rwanda?

"On top of the agenda, selfishness, greed, envy, and jealousy, that is what incompetent with arts and creative industry and fashion. There is no unit, there is no love. Competition is on the agenda; hate is the agenda and that is why it will be very difficult to grow" said Bunyeshuli

• How is Kigali Fashion Week?

"I am keeping it alive; it is a beautiful brand. Even though I have seen people trying to steal the name in all kinds of ways. I saw someone organizing Kigali Slow Fashion Week which I don't know what that means. KFW is still running, I focus on international events. We did Japan and did a European tour, and the recent Uganda edition was a peace initiative with the opening of the borders, my team we are working on the Ethiopian edition coming soon at the African Union premises. Then we are planning to do the International African Cultural Festival which is taking place in New York, Houston and Canada, Toronto and this will take place in the next year 2024. We also have a plan to go back to Japan" said Bunyeshuli

PHOTO: Made by Touch of Rwanda Fashion design LTD showcasing Kigali International Fashion Week 2019, in Tokyo, Japan

PHOTO: Karen Uwera, Rwandan fashion designer, CEO & founder of the Karssh Collection, showcasing in Tokyo Japan, Kigali International Fashion Week 2019

• When is the KFW's edition in Rwanda?

Maybe one day I will do an event in Kigali for the KFW, but right now I don't feel it necessary because there are so many other shows; there is CollectiveRw / Rwanda Fashion Week, Mercedes Kigali Fashion Week is there, and the RCFS. Let them do it.

• What is the clear image of the fashion industry in Rwanda according to you?

The important is that the KFW and the RCFS, are the initiators of the fashion industry and the history will always be there. Whatever they do, all of them come from us. We are the parents, so there is no problem.

PHOTO: Kigali Fashion Week 2017

• What is the future of the fashion industry in Rwanda?

The future of the fashion industry in Rwanda is going to be stagnant, it is not going to go any further unless people change their attitudes. Jealous, envy, hate, hatred. Looking down upon others. Thinking some other people are more important than others. And the others make themselves so special to compare to others.

If people can turn around and be nice to each other, like government institutions such as the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Private Sector Federation (PSF), they should be open to everyone. It seems they just focus on the children of the top. People in high departments and some government officials decide to do that and that is their decision.

According to them, I am Mr. Nobody that is for sure. But I rely on myself and what I do. Whatever it is, let go and become. But again, I will say one thing. One day KFW is going to come back so as the RCFS. We are all stand; I Believe that we will organize again massive shows like we used to do before. We know and everyone will know who the captains are in the business. We are the captains.

I can say some of these fashion entrepreneurs are like recruits. They are just starting. Recruits make so much noise. They think that the teachers and the captains don't know what they did. They all come from us. That is the beauty of this, they all come from us. Look at the list of designers, they come from us. I remember some of them were students and others were models, now, they have become all the designers and that will never change, even if they try to hide it. History always judges and says the truth.

PHOTO: A delegation from Rwanda in Tokyo for the Kigali International Fashion Show Week 2019

PHOTO: Celestin Ntawirema CEO & founder of the RCFS  (LEFT) and John Bunyeshuli CEO & founder of the KFW 2019 (RIGHT)

• What do you think about the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Kigali?

"As I have mentioned, we are the parents in the industry of fashion. I am the one who introduced Daniel Ndayishimiye (Coordinator of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Kigali) to the organizer of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week from Ghana, and its team members, But in return, he turned his back and started saying all kinds of things till he got to bring it to Kigali. To be honest, I don't have a problem with Daniel having that show in Kigali but people should at least learn how to appreciate. I am the one who taught him about the fashion events, so history is there and people will continue to read and know the truth about our fashion industry.

• What makes you happy about fashion Rwanda fashion industry?

"Seeing people including models and designers traveling around the world and then coming back to us and saying thank you to the KFW. Also, I saw how the Rwandans in general started to know that they were able to make their own clothes which later initiated the Made in Rwanda campaign. I believe that the KFW played its role in building this dream in the fashion and textiles industry Rwanda. 

- Kampala-Kigali Fashion Week 2023 - Interview with John Bunyeshuli and Marley (Audio &video)

- Watch the Kampala- Kigali Fashion Week 2023

RCFS's Media