Meet “Imperfections Atelier” The New Brand in Town With a Neo-African Aesthetic

There are way too few ready-to-wear clothing options from Ugandan designers than needed. In prying into the reason why, the market for custom formal wear severely outranks the everyday wear of mostly casually dressed Ugandans in demand. This is why the choice for a debut brand to go straight to Ready to Wear is a bold choice, but a wise one. 

Allow me to introduce “Imperfections Atelier” a fresh design house under the sole designer Brenda Bwiire, an alumnus of Records Fashion School. She started her career with a debut collection named “A Place of Love ”that expertly marries African kitenge print with modern designs and silhouettes. I know, I know, you’re about to say you’ve seen that before – while true, the finesse that Brenda injects into the designs doesn’t leave the same taste in your mouth. It’s a fresh take, sublime, and (fortunately for an RTW line) super wearable. This isn’t the regular kitenge that you relegate to church functions and family get-togethers. Her incorporation of the prints is so subtle that you don’t notice it at first glance, but it’s not like she’s trying to hide them either. She instead plays around with the intricate shapes in a way that they flow with the design.  It’s a story of love for home and for the time she lives in today, an interesting selection of looks that fit right into your closet. 

Brenda entered the fashion world like many do: with a love of dressing up. After she finished university, she got a job. A regular one, like the rest of us, is supposed to. While there, she had a tailor who used to help her whip up outfits for her when needed – however, curiosity sparked. Brenda asked the tailor to show her some techniques, and while she gave her a starter lesson, she didn’t reveal all her secrets. Smart businesswoman. Brenda decided instead, to convince her parents that fashion school was the way to go. She soon started at Records and was doing so well, her mom joined in on the learning journey! 

A Place of Love is what Brenda decided to use to introduce her to the fashion space, and what an entrance. She told me that her collection came from a headspace where she wanted to bring a playful twist to the African print dress, as well as incorporate her personal style. For this collection, she plays around with shades of blue and purple, accented by the burnt sienna from the prints, all on a mostly white base. This collection has an elegant, corporate feel – and Brenda confirms that those are some of the women she aims to dress with this collection. The clothes have got a modest touch, which the mostly reserved-dressing Ugandan woman will appreciate.

Brenda admits she isn’t intending to stay in the lane of ready-to-wear strictly, she wants to have fun and do the avant-garde stuff as well. She has decided her brand is here to tell stories through fashion, and while this was a specific story, the future might look slightly different. I’m excited to see what the future holds for this brand, and how they will perform in the growing, competitive industry that is Kampala’s fashion scene.

If you wish to buy something from the brand, use this  link https://imperfections-atelier.web.app/

Follow them on Instagram: @Imperfections Atelier

SatisfashionUg@gmail.com

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