Sunday in Brazzaville: A Documentary on high fashion in the Congo
This is a recent documentary, Sunday in Brazzaville, on high fashion in the Congo, known as sapiology. The Sapeurs of Congo are members of a movement that started in the 1960s. They are ordinary people who pay homage to expression through their extraordinary style. However, sapiology is more than about style. Stervos Niarcos Ngashie, was the founder of the Kitendi religion, which means clothing in the local Lingala language.
In the DRC, there is a population of about 68 million people, and 71% live on less than a dollar a day. It is one of the poorest countries of the world. But Sapeurs show their devotion to the “Society of ambianceurs and stylish people” (SAPE), a movement inspired by a Parisian commitment to style and high fashion, by using and making money to participate in this iconic group.
The full documentary no longer appears to be online, but read more about it here: Sunday in Brazzaville
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2014/03/sunday-brazzaville-2014322104445836363.html