Gloria Wavamunno; a budding fashionista
At only 25, Gloria is the chief executive officer of the Kampala Fashion Week and has worked with various magazines like Flair, African Woman and Arise, writes Connie Nankya.
At 25, she seems like she is on her way to conquering the fashion industry in Uganda. She is already an established fashion designer and the Chief Executive Officer for the Kampala fashion week.
Her name is Gloria Wavamunno, daughter to Gordon and Maureen Wavamunno. The tall light skinned beauty has studied fashion design and marketing at the American Intercontinental University in London.
This slender lady who is evidently fascinated about fashion is also a stylist and makeup artist that has not only worked with various magazines like Flare, African Woman, and Arise, (the first international magazine from Africa sold in New York, Nigeria and Milan among others), but has also helped out artistes like Navio with videos to the tracks Listen and Raw, among others.
Gloria, who prefers to remain silent about her relationship status still lives with her parents and can only disclose that her kind of guy should be individual and have something that separates him from everyone else.
Contrary to what we get to witness at different fashion shows, Gloria had the launch of the Kampala Fashion week done in a different way, without a runway fashion show. This impells me to ask why. I also ask what she thought about the fashion industry today, keeping in mind where we have come from.
In response to the fashion week, she says she wanted her guests to concentrate on her message, which was to motivate, inspire, and create artistry. “As far as the industry goes, I could say that we are just in the initial stages. The market is composed of people who still prefer to purchase already-made clothes or have others imported. I think we need more stable designers and people need to embrace their individual styles.”
In three words, she describes herself as a strong, individual and free spirited person. Looking at her, one can easily identify those qualities and notice that she is the total opposite of what is expected of some spoilt children from rich families. She seems quite grounded, keeps calling me to apologise for the time adjustments in our appointment, then takes the time to make it to the venue before me. She wears a warm smile as she greets me and even attempts to pull out a chair for me to seat. I am forced to ask why she is this way and she gives all the credit to her parents for raising her and her siblings very well.
On several occasions, people have wondered why she never wears earrings, hardly shows face at hangout spots and wears a number of tattoos on her body. Well, to all this, Gloria asserts that her social life is quite private and she does not think partying the night away is a reason to live. About the earrings, she points out that having her ears free makes her comfortable and as far as the tattoos go, she looks at them in the spiritual sense. “I have so many of them. I am a very expressive person so I like tattoos. I look at them more in the spiritual sense as opposed to it being a trend. If I go through an experience in life and it has such a great impact on me, I mark that moment with a tattoo.”
Wavamunno, who has designed clothes for the Nokia Face of Africa, owns a workshop in Kitintale where she spends most of her time and a boutique along Jinja Road. She explains that her normal day is hectic and diverse. Her normal style is individual, experimental (which explains her different hairstyles), rebellious and fun. She also takes time off to relax by listening to music and painting (which is a hobby).
For a woman this enterprising, beautiful and hardworking, one wonders if she ever gets stalked or has men intimidated. “I think that if someone were intimidated by me, they would not approach me. On the contrary, I get a lot of arrogant men coming on to me. Men here need to learn some manners; I am yet to meet a gentleman for sure,” she responds.
Common questions linger in one’s mind at the sight of a light skinned lady who has studied from abroad; does she speak Luganda fluently, what is her favourite meal and being a Wavamunno, does she own a plush Mercedes?
Well, her honest answer is that she can listen better than she can speak Luganda because her accent keeps interfering with the vernacular. As for the meal, she enjoys Indian cuisines and sushi and after hearty laughter, she discloses that she does not own a Mercedes.
To the young people, Wavamunno advises, “In case you want to do something, go for it. You may meet some ups and downs but you can always make it if you put your mind to something. And always be a kindhearted person,” she concludes.
