FASHION Joe Malaika: Boston’s Designer Of The Year

INTRO DUCING:

According to a study, Boston is one of the most fashionable cities in the U.S. with 310 fashion designers and 17 luxury brand stores present in the area. But 13 years after starting his eponymous label Joe Malaika, Joe Mutebi Malaika, a Ugandan-born designer, was this year named Boston’s Designer Of The Year by Boston Magazine.

“You could never accuse Joe Malaika of being dull. The Ugandanborn designer’s pieces are some of the most vibrant (and sassy) ensembles you’ll find in the city,” wrote the 40-year-old publication renowned for its groundbreaking reporting on culture and fashion in Boston.

“Honestly, it hasn’t sunk in yet. My friends have been asking that I throw a party and celebrate. For a black man in an industry that’s dominated by white designers, this was something,” he tells me at his home in Massachusetts.

His charm is a bold burst of prints and sequins - purple brocade suits for men and floral-patterned sheaths for women. As an African designer living and working in the US, showcasing his African roots through his work is close to his heart.

“During introductions, I don’t consider myself an American designer but rather a Ugandan designer,” he says. He is, however, quick to note that not all of his inspiration comes from Uganda. “I mean, look, I’ve lived in the US all my life. I’d be lying if I said that I picked all my inspiration from Uganda. That said, though, a lot of my work is influenced by the vibrance and richness of our cultures as Africans.”

Mutebi’s fashion journey, interestingly, started at his grandmother’s house. “She inspired me greatly because watching her sew clothes as I grew up seemed like some sort of superpower. I wanted to have that power as well,” he recalls. The real turnaround, which was also his big break, was during school when he made a dress for a girl he liked. “I was sending a message that I liked her. She took pictures of the dress and shared them on Facebook, and the post went viral. Facebook was still a small authentic community then, but all of a sudden, everyone wanted a dress from me.”

“A LOT OF MY WORK IS INFLUENCED BY THE VIBRANCE AND RICHNESS OF OUR CULTURES AS AFRICANS”

At the time, Mutebi was in business school and possessed no formal training in design, but that didn’t get in his way of starting. “I was lucky to have had access to the internet, and I focused my energy on learning and educating myself using platforms like YouTube. My grandmother’s counsel and guidance became even more important. I like to be criticized. And this she did generously. She took me through a whole design course without knowing she was doing so.”

After years of immense growth, Mutebi’s work has been presented on catwalks across the globe - Paris Fashion Week, which he opened, London Fashion Week, Arab Fashion Week, and lots of toptier events in the US. When I quiz him about his milestones, he opens up about his philanthropic efforts, especially with cancer.

“I’ve lost many people to cancer, so contributing to efforts to end cancer is very important to me. I have partnered with Boston Medical Center on fashion shows featuring cancer survivors. It is a surreal moment watching these men, women, and children walking the runway in celebration of beating cancer. This was a big career highlight for me as a designer and also as a person.”

“The recognition I’ve gotten from my cancer charities is better than anything else I have achieved. It all goes back to making my grandmother proud because this is what she would want me to do with this gift,” he adds.

Joe Malaika has a presence in Uganda, in a small space that might not reflect the breadth of his brand. His showroom is in Kansanga. He explains that his plans to have pronounced brick and mortar stores in Uganda were sabotaged by the pandemic.

“We had big plans but have had to hold back until the business can hold its own. For now, the business relies on its e-commerce site, joemalaika.com, where buyers can access the brand’s entire collection.

Owing to the economic growth and business opportunities in Africa, many Africans living in the diaspora are moving back home to put their relevant skills to use. When asked about the possibility of him moving back home, Mutebi is quick to say no.

“The US is all I have ever known as home. My family, friends, and colleagues are all here. I honestly don’t see myself moving back to Uganda permanently, especially because I know I don’t have to live there permanently to make things work. That said, I’m still a young man figuring out life. I probably shouldn’t rule it out.”

The beehive of activity that is Kampala’s fashion scene is something he can’t dismiss. “I look at some of the work designers at home are putting out and I’m impressed. We have come such a long way as Ugandans and I believe this is the time to show the world everything we have,” he concludes.

You can shop his work at joemalaika.com