Kinshasa , Democratic Republic of the Congo ( CNN ) -- Sewage-lined streets , crumbling concrete homes and jagged sheets of metal are in stark contrast to the formally dressed man standing proudly in the middle of it all . His name is Daniel Etienne . He grimaces into a Cuban cigar and happily sports two pairs of designer sunglasses ; one straddling his eyes , the other tucked into his suit . He is a loyal and unapologetic member of `` Les Sapeurs . '' In this Kinshasa neighborhood , eight of them strut the congested streets , decked out in a wide-array of name brands ; from Gucci and Christian Dior to G-Star and Yohji Yamamoto . Three-piece suits , shiny black leather shoes and flashy accessories are all part of an eccentric dress code -- and demeanor to match . `` I could use that money to help with the war that is happening in the East but [ they 're ] so expensive it might hurt people 's feelings , '' says Papa Griffes , of his pricey threads . See also : Arise magazine : Africa 's fashion bible . He describes himself as the `` supreme commander of Les Sapeurs '' or `` Sap '' for short . While he would n't admit to the actual cost , some Saps boast of spending $ 5,000 on a single suit . But in a country with one of the highest poverty levels in the world , how is a trend like this even possible or accepted ? Part of the performance put on by Sapeurs is showmanship , smoke and mirrors . Papa Griffes is actually a shoemaker and designer by trade so he stitches up and repairs each member 's look . His crew dresses up together just once a week , meeting first at Griffes 's shoe-repair shack in the parking lot of a local bar before stepping out . It 's also typical for Sapeurs to trade their expensive clothes with each other to keep up an appearance of affluence . Still , the Sapeur following has cultural significance beyond the facade of fabric . Born out of gradual economic improvements leading up to independence , both the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC ) and its confusingly named neighbor , the Republic of the Congo , broke free of Belgium and France 's colonial grip respectively in 1960 . The capitals of Kinshasa and Brazzaville on opposing sides of the Congo River became centers for a new African francophone elite , flying to Paris and returning to show off sophisticated garments . For the first time in the modern era , the Congolese were empowered after decades of brutality and economic subjugation enforced by foreigners . Papa Wemba , the famous singer credited with popularizing the Sapeur look with his group Viva La Musica , says inspiration partly came from his parents who took great pride in dressing up on Sundays back in the '60s , `` always well put together , always looking very smart . '' See also : African designers in the spotlight . Things changed in the DRC shortly after independence , when Joseph Mabutu assumed power , renamed the country Zaire and implemented a strict non-Western dress code . Papa Wemba wanted to challenging the status quo -- not vocally , but visually . So he devised the acronym SAPE , roughly translated from French to mean `` the Society of Atmosphere-setters and Elegant People . '' By dressing up his band in the SAPE style , the adoring Congolese crowds soon followed suit -- literally . Since then , Sapeur swagger and the freedom of expression it represents have attracted legions of followers in central Africa and beyond . By now they 've earned an increasingly visible status in popular culture ; Italian photographer Daniele Tamagni profiled them in his book `` Gentlemen of Bacongo , '' The Wall Street Journal anointed them `` the most unlikely fashionistas . '' They pop up in music videos and in the book `` History of the Congo , '' the Saps are included in great detail . They are an important part of the Congolese story . Papa Wemba invited CNN to one of his musical performances in Kinshasa being attended by Papa Griffes and company and it became obvious how serious this movement is today . A dapperly dressed Sapeur from a competing clique danced with a woman in front of Papa Griffes and afterward flung open his cape -- yes , cape -- kicking-off a fashion face-off . What followed were multiple poses on the dance floor as each Sapeur defended his reputation . Labels were revealed , heads flung high and jackets swung around . In a country torn apart by colonialism , corruption , civil war and poverty , these men have found something refreshing in which they can take great pride . They 've also devised a sort-of entertaining conflict resolution that requires buttons instead of bullets , belts instead of bombs . In a very real way , we could all learn something from these special Congolese standouts : honor history , keep conflict resolution peaceful and never tell anyone how much you really paid for your fancy clothes .
` ` Les Sapeurs '' are a unique group of fashionistas who strut the streets of Paris . They wear expensive designer clothes , despite the poverty around them . Famed musician Papa Roach popularized the group .