Fashion forward: pioneering African designer eyes luxury brands market

AuthorPaul Omondi
PositionFreelance writer

In the beginning

Taibo Bacar sells its designs globally and has shops

in Mozambique and South Africa.

(Photo: Courtesy of Taibo Bacar)

Before Taibo Bacar the fashion label, there was Taibo Bacar the designer, whose first foray into fashion was inspired by his seamstress mother. The designer’s journey towards the fashion hall of fame was sealed when, in 2006, he crossed paths with the model, Tatiana Ismael, at a fashion show. Three years later, that chance meeting blossomed into a thriving business, the Taibo Bacar label.

Tatiana Ismael is a fashion insider with global experience of the business side of the industry, making her an ideal business partner for Taibo Bacar, the designer. Ismael handles the business side of things, while the designer Bacar brings his imagination to its creative side. As a brand, Taibo Bacar aims to create a personal connection with its customers.

“From the time we conceptualize our ideas or themes to the production process, we are very intentional in our designs. We want to make a connection with our clients at a personal level. That’s how passionate and sentimental we are about our work,” says Ismael.

That ethos is setting the Taibo Bacar label on another pioneering business adventure, as the company rallies to expand beyond elegant fashion, glossy magazines and ventures into the niche luxury brands market to complement its fashion business.

“It’s about diversity. We have a lot of projects lined up for the future that have been inspired by what we have been doing for the last 12 years, even though not all of them are related to fashion,” says Bacar in commenting on the company’s planned expansion into the exclusive luxury market.

The intellectual property challenge

But things have not always been rosy, especially in a country new to the fashion business where public understanding of why it is important to respect the work of creators and inventors, is low.

Intellectual property (IP) protection in Africa is generally very hard. It’s harder for creative industries like fashion, and even more difficult for us in Mozambique, where fashion as a business is not well defined, says Ismael.

Ismael notes that in Mozambique, as in most parts of Africa, more needs to be done to educate the public about IP to ensure that it is taken seriously as a business asset.

Taibo Bacar advises aspiring young African designers to build brands and businesses and not be sidetracked by fame and celebrity status.

While the Taibo Bacar...

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