Rwanda’s largest city, Kigali, was the place to be for fashion enthusiasts originating from the Commonwealth nations. And, Jamaican fashion designer Keneea Linton-George left quite a mark with her black, green and gold collection, Jamaica Cruise.

Rwanda Fashion Week (RFW) 2022 kicked off on Tuesday, June 21, as part of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The fashion event attracted 23 local designers and nine international brands as well as models from across the globe. Linton-George’s 12 look curation, which closed the RFW22 show, featured voluminous silhouettes as well as some Keneea Linton staples constructed from fabric types like silk, cotton, lace, neoprene and organza. Some pieces were accented with straws and beads (seeds) that pay homage to the fashion week’s theme, ‘Sustainable Development In Fashion’.

One of the peak moments of her show was a pregnant model, Arielle Nkusi, who took the runway wearing a yellow crochet swimsuit with and a cape, proudly showing off her baby bump.

In an official statement from The New Times, Linton-George shared her inspiration behind the look, “I followed Rihanna throughout her pregnancy and I loved the way she embraced her tummy, she didn’t shy away from any fashion at all, and I tend to have a lot of pregnant customers that want to wear regular clothes, but I feel that pregnancy is something to be celebrated, because you should show off your tummy, it is a beautiful part of life and not many women get to experience it.”

As we approach the nation’s 60th Independence anniversary, Tuesday Style Fashion highlights Keneea Linton-George’s culturally-inspired collection.

CREDITS

On the cover:

Look 12 — Three-sister cape with

standing collar, two-piece crochet

bikini and straw details

Photos: Illume Creative Studio

Make-up: Ivan Mugemanyi

Hair: Posh Salon