Chanel
Versace
the Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes
the Society of Ambiance-Makers
SAPE
Al Jazeera Media Network
Jean Courcel
Ntsimba Marie Jenne
Sapeuses
Stalin
Russian-Saudi
Soviet
Himalayas
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the Republic of Congo
Brazzaville
Paris
London
the Republic of the Congo
Saudi Arabia
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Over the decades, it has functioned as a form of colonial resistance, social activism and peaceful protest.Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo - Wearing a white linen Jean Courcel suit, a Chanel bow tie and Versace sunglasses, Ntsimba Marie Jenne would not look out of place in the front row of the Paris or London fashion weeks.But the 52-year-old happens to be strutting her stuff in Brazzaville, the capital city of the Republic of the Congo.She is one of the growing number of women belonging to the Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes (the Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People), or SAPE.Like their impeccably dressed male counterparts, the female Sapeuses will spend in excess of $3,000 on a suit when they do not even have running water, and go without food in order to save up for the right designer accessories.Most have ordinary day jobs as policewomen and tailors, but as soon as they clock off, they transform.
As said here by Tariq Zaidi