New generation fashion "Sapeurs" [or La Sape] love of stylish dressing from twin Congolese capitals of Brazzaville and Kinshasa
Pipo don sabi some residents of di twin Congolese capitals of Brazzaville and Kinshasa for dia love of stylish dressing - in particular members of di Society of Ambience-Makers and Elegant People (Sape). Dis fotos by Tariq Zaidi show a whole new generation of "sapeurs".
Natan Mahata For di Democratic Republic of Congo capital, Kinshasa, di son of famous sapeur Fiston Mahata, eight-year-old Natan, dey represent di new generation of style. Ntsimba Marie Jeanne, Okili Nkoressa, Judith Nkoressa. Across di River Congo for Brazzaville, 10-year-old Okili Nkoressa, wey dey di middle, use di dirt roads as im runway. "My favourite item of clothing na my Yves Saint Laurent suit wey I dey wear today," he tok. Pipo wey follow am na veterans of di Sape scene, 52-year-old businesswoman Ntsimba Marie Jeanne, left, and 39-year-old policewoman Judith Nkoressa, right. Severin Mouyengo Severin Mouyengo papa na also sapeur. "I Sape everi day. E dey make me forget about everitin," di 62-year-old retired forester tok. "E dey bring peace and tranquillity to everybody... I no see how anybodi for La Sape could go dey violent or fight. Peace mean a lot to us." Elie Fontaine Elie Fontaine, one 45-year old taxi-owner tok say im start to dey dress in suits as a child since 1982. "Dem dey tell us say Sape na just a form of 'juvenile delinquency'." Dem gain international fame for 2014 wen dem feature dia style for Guinness advert. Maxime Pivot Mabanza "For me Sape na art, Sape na discipline, Sape na work" Maxime Pivot Mabanza, wey don be sapeur for 36 years tok. Perreira Franchisco Perreira Franchisco, one 37-year-old computer consultant for Brazzaville, call imself "di greatest sapeur". "I go now demonstrate, wetin pipo sabi as a clothing equation wit 2 or 3 elements. So I go dey wear one Kenzo suit, made in Italy, wit one backless vest by Jean Basinga, I go wear one tie blue, white, red by Pierre Cardin and one pair of varnished tectonic shoes by John Foster. I love to wear my Kenzo suit - made in Italy!" Ella Kiadi More and more women dey join di dapper dressers, plus 44-year-old businesswoman Ella Kiadi wey start eight years ago. Dem dey sabi di women for di club as sapeuses. Clementine Biniakoulou Some women start decades ago, including 52-year-old housewife Clementine Biniakoulou, wey don be sapeuse for 36 years. Nino Valentino "E be like pesin wey get disease wey no get cure and must take medicine, na wetin Sape dey like," Nino Valentino tok. Basile Gandzion Human resources manager Basile Gandzion, 51, don be sapeur for 30 years. Yamea Bansimba Jean Claude "Out of all my clothes my favourite item of clothing na my hat," 58-year old bricklayer Yamea Bansimba tok am. Im don be sapeur for 50 years. Serge Bakama Boke (aka Jika) "Jika dey here. Di clothes inspector, I don arrive, all di labels dey here. A Y3 skirt, Zara and oda labels, crocodile shoes, 40 cm socks, you dey feel me. I dey here, Jika di Parisian,"dat na how 28-year-old Serge Bakama Boke - aka Jika - introduce imself. Israell Mbona and older child At just five years old, Israell Mbona (right) don be sapeur for three years. Even at im young age, im kilt na from Scotland and im shoes na Versace. All fotos na by Tariq Zaidi