"In photographer Daniele Tamagni new photo book, he explores the phenomenon of the African sapeurs, a clique of extraordinarily dressed dandies from the Congo. In the midst of war and abject poverty, these men dress in tailored suits, silk ties, and immaculate footwear. Sapeur comes from la SAPE, short for Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes, or the Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People. The SAPE, like any club, has rules of conduct and of dress; it’s centered around Brazzaville and Kinshasa, the adjacent capitals of the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, respectively." They dress themselves in designer brands of suits and accessories are of the utmost importance to Sapeurs – Pierre Cardin, Roberto Cavalli, Dior, Fendi, Gaultier, Gucci, Issey Miyake, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Yohji Yamamoto are their patron saints.
This is truly remarkable and interesting group of men. What makes it even more interesting is that most of these men can barely afford food, often sleep on the floor of relatives homes as the average yearly income in the Congo is less than $100 a year.
More info on Daniele's work can be found HERE.
Via: Cyana Trendland
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