Kampala Fashion Week: Kas Wear by Ras Kasozi

Ras Kasozi finally presented his ‘Busuuti’ inspired collection last weekend during Kampala Fashion Week. The collection was inspired by the essence of the rich history of the Baganda and had pieces that were fresh and youthful.

Busuuti also called Gomesi is the official dress for women in Buganda. The dress is very elaborate, with a square neck adorned with two buttons, pointy sleeves, full skirt, and a huge sash. There are many historical contradictions about the origin of the busuuti/gomesi. Contemporary history indicates that the it was originally made for Gayaza schoolgirls in around 1940s and 50s. Their first school uniform was a cotton sheet, which they wrapped around their breasts and tied to the waist with a strip of cloth. But the uniform often slipped off when the girls bent down to dig. Their missionary tutors thought it was indecent for a woman to expose her breasts. So, they had an Indian tailor sew out the busuuti/gomesi. Two decades later, the gomesi became a popular outfit at all traditional functions for the Baganda and later the Basoga, Iteso, Alur and Japadhola.