About MWAMI

Contemporary Senegalese fashion from Dakar

MWAMI is a Senegalese fashion label based in Dakar, founded in 2015 by the artist and designer Papi Wata. Its clothing brings together artisanal embroidery, relaxed silhouettes and references to Sahelian dress, and every piece is made in the MWAMI atelier in Dakar.

MWAMI brings urban and traditional cultures together in clothes made to be worn everywhere. For Papi, a fine artist, the label is another branch of his practice. “Our mission is to dress people in a way that they feel is theirs, allowing them to take ownership of the things they consume. Mwami is a way to bring more intention into consumerism.”

Design

The label works with contemporary silhouettes and fabrics and looks to tradition for technique and finish. Its references come from African cities such as Dakar and Abidjan. The embroidered patterns that mark MWAMI pieces draw on sacred geometry, Arabic calligraphy and African iconography.

Collections

Harmattan is the ongoing ready to wear collection: boubous, shirts, trousers and embroidered sets across runway editions. Stealth carries MWAMI embroidery into unisex athleisure, handmade in Dakar from deadstock fabrics. MWAMI FC makes 90s and 00s inspired football kits. Past seasons, films and lookbooks live in the Collections archive.

Press and collaborations

MWAMI has dressed Mr Eazi, Jidenna and Mayra Andrade, made a capsule collection with the Senegalese rapper Nix, and been featured on CNN African Voices, OkayAfrica and Nataal.

Questions about sizing, shipping or studio visits are answered in the FAQ. For anything else, write to Sales@mwami.co.