Lambo la Tiki, a unique yearly fashion event already in its fifth year and organised by the designer Rodrigue Tchatcho, is held in Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon.
This year’s show is due to kick start in a few weeks and DC caught up with the brains behind the show for a chat.
Happy Reading y’all!
DC: Hello Rodrigue, how are you?
RT: I am fine, thanks.
DC: So Lambo la Tiki is a fashion event you started 5 years ago. What do you hope to achieve with this show?
RT: Lambo la Tiki fashion event was created with the aim of promoting the “kaba ngondo*” attire. These attires are beautiful, you can see them being worn everywhere around Cameroon and at any season of the year and they can be very cultural as well. I felt there was a need to create awareness.
DC: What made you start this show?
RT: There are few fashion events in Cameroon in the first place – counting fashion events, there are only 3 including my show!
DC: How easy or difficult is it organising a fashion event in Cameroon?
RT: It is very difficult to organise a fashion event in Cameroon because the sponsors do not rely stick with you.
DC: What about financing...how do you sort that?
RT: The financing part largely depends on the sponsors. You also have to know big names in Cameroon to be able to get some sort of finance from the government. I have been dipping into my own personal funds to get this show moving.
DC: Douala seems to be the fashion capital of Cameroon, why is it so?
RT: Douala is the economic capital and there are more happenings here which have international visibility. There are some shows too that take place in Yaounde but they are not very big and that is why you don’t hear of them.
DC: Would you say Cameroonians are becoming more interested in fashion or have they always been in your opinion?
RT: They are becoming more and more interested in fashion maybe because of the events that are being organised. People are becoming more aware because they can see what is going on.
DC: Cameroon is picking up fashion wise with the rest of its neighbouring countries such as Nigeria and Ghana. What do you think is the reason behind this?
RT: I think it is because when Cameroonians see what is happening in these countries, they think to themselves why can’t we do this? We really have the desires too, what is lacking is the finance. Cameroon is one of the most fashionable countries in Africa after all!
DC: Talk to us about this year’s show, what sneak preview can you give us?
RT: There will be a fashion show in open air, a training centre etc. There will be local Cameroonian designers, as well as international ones coming from France and the Ivory Coast to present their Kaba collection.
DC: You are also a designer yourself, tell us about your label.
RT: My label Rodrig Tchatcho is solely ready to wear evening or wedding dresses. I tend to use a lot of neutral colours because I love them and they can be worn at all seasons. I prefer using natural fabrics, ie Linen, cotton in my designs.
DC: What obstacles or troubles does one face when starting out as a designer in Cameroon?
RT: The main problem is finance and distribution. The designer can come up with a lot of stuff, but the problem is selling them on.
DC: Do you think the government needs to financially assist those who are starting their own businesses to help them get on their feet?
RT: Yes, we definitely need assistance and support to develop the fashion industry especially. We need to develop the “made in Cameroon by Cameroonians” slogan.
DC: What future plans do you have for Lambo la Tiki and your fashion label?
RT: I would to take Lambo la Tiki to other parts of the world to show the beauty of Cameroon designs. I would also love to have a bigger show. For my label, I would love to have them in international stores. That would be my greatest achievement.
DC: Do you have a website where people can buy your garments?
RT: No not yet, it is not yet ready. Hopefully it should be by January 2010.
DC: So, how can they contact you?
RT: I have a showroom in Cameroon in Douala – Bonapriso. I will be opening another in Abidjan, Ivory Coast next March. They can call me on 00237 99 36 93 43 or 00237 76 12 76 76 or they can email me at: rtchatcho@yahoo.fr
DC: Thanks for chatting to DC Rodrig, good luck with the show which is on from the 17th to the 20th of December 2009.
RT: Thank you very much
Check out some of Rodrigue's designs below!
Some pictures from the Lambo la Tiki show
*Kaba Ngondo is a Cameroonian type of dress, usually airy and very loose fitting. It could be sleeveless, short or long sleeved (www.wakunaonline.com/pidgin.php?pg_id=5).
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So you have read what Rodrigue had to say, if you are in Cameroon for the christmas holidays you know the place to be, the Lambo la Tiki fashion show in Douala!
Dates are 17th to 20th December 2009.
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DC: Dulce Camer
RT: Rodrigue Tchatcho
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Be there!!
Stay sweet
Dulce
xxx
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