Gentlemen of Bacongo

In a city that has been ravaged by three civil wars since independence we get to witness a cult of elegance that operates along strict guidelines. For the sapeurs of Bacongo, called Le Sape, style is a religion. As we see these men walk the unpaved, garbage-strewn streets of their neighbourhood in their tailored finery one is confronted with a confusion of feelings. Many of Le Sape live in poverty, they have scrimped, saved and hustled in order to acquire clothes which have made them local celebrities. Daniele Tamagni’s made a beautiful pictorial essay called ‘Gentlemen of Bacongo‘. A true classic!