The intersection of Tech, Fashion and Africa — Hanifa’s 3D fashion show

History was made on 22 May 2020 at 7pm EST, when bespoke fashion retailer, Hanifa delivered a seamless digital fashion show. It wasn’t just an ordinary virtual fashion show where the models observed COVID-19 social distancing rules, rather uniquely, Hanifa’s Creative Director and Designer — Anifa Mvuemba, delivered an impeccable 3D show for the Pink Label collection. The skilful use of 3D technology, animation and video is another example of how the use of tech and digital capabilities is transforming the way businesses showcase their products and services and connect with customers.

Fittingly, Anifa describes Hanifa as, “limitless, feminine, innovative — it’s a lifestyle”. All of these things shone through — Anifa is a trailblazer, transforming fashion through the use of innovative technology. Having watched the fashion show a few times (guilty), which was hosted on Instagram’s live platform, the experience was absolutely surreal. From the way the clothes moved on the perfectly digitally crafted fuller figure models, to the incorporation of sweet Afro-beat sounds to raise our spirits before the commencement of the show. I definitely had a little dance in my living room with a cheeky glass of bubbles in tow.

3D design software that enables virtual visualisation is shaking up the fashion industry. Adobe Illustrator is highly used for new fashion designers however, 3D softwares and other AI tech provides an almost reality depiction of designs at all stages, from concept to on the runway. It’s not yet reported how Anifa delivered such a great experience, but either way, it shows the transformation happening in the fashion industry due to tech.

We were virtually transported to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Anifa originates from. The history of DRC and the current socio-political landscape was carefully interwoven into Hanifa’s collection and show. We learnt that DRC supplies 60–70% of the entire world’s source of ‘coltan’, a mineral that’s a vital component of all electronics. Coltan is typically sold on the black market and the mines are known for some of the poorest working conditions, riddled with child labour and exploitation issues, not to mention brutal violence against women and children. Anifa shed light on the fact that “our phones are connected to this mineral [coltan], as we all have smart phones, so someway we are all part of the problem but we don’t know it.” Whilst this definitely made me think about my contribution to this issue, Anifa kindly points out that whilst we’re part of the problem, we can also be a part of the solution.

This sparks a gateway into the conversation around the advancement of technology and the links between sustainability. It’s impossible to divorce technology from environmental considerations. Building and sustaining technology is known to be resource-intensive from manufacturing to supply chain. Most major technology companies carbon footprint spans the entire globe and whilst, in some shape or form, they have made sustainability commitments, unfortunately it doesn’t undo the damage done. This was something discussed at the Retail Tech event I was invited to speak at a few weeks back! The scope of the damage could be around the depletion of our natural resources, to child labour and exploitation but I’m no sustainability or environmental expert. I’ll stick to the tech, strategy and start-up stuff! I certainly don’t have the answers to how to tackle this, and I certainly do use a lot of technology — but growing my awareness of these issues is a good start to reviewing personal choices.

Anifa managed to raise awareness and support organisations that are helping families affected in the DRC. In solidarity with those affected, Anifa Mvuemba’s intentionality shone through the whole show and collection — every colour pallet has meaning and purpose behind it. She even included a dress inspired by the Congo flag; the Red representing the pain and bloodshed, Blue, highlighting the loss and Yellow, showing hope.

Anifa has been on this fashion journey since 2012, however I believe the delivery of this virtual fashion show has broadened her geographical reach. She’s gained supporters (I’m one of them), from all over the world. The authenticity and diversity of the brand has won hearts of many. The use of tech and digital has won the respect of techies and digital enthusiasts. I’m sure Hanifa’s creativity has inspired many and solidifies the importance of UX, ‘user experience’. If you want to find out more about UX, read my last article.

Thank you Anifa for providing us with another example of how to use unique times (a global pandemic) to your advantage and how to use your brand core values, with a helping hand of tech, to connect with audiences across the world. I sincerely hope this hard work translates into more opportunities, bigger basket sizes and high customer conversion rates. On that note, go shop the collection at https://hanifa.co/!