Preserving African heritage through fashion

Blending music with fashion.

 By Ruth Ndolo.

Artist Wanangwa Chandiona from Mzuzu, popularly known as Waner Chandie turns his hobby into a successful business by creating a fashion brand named Warak.

 Chandie describes Warak as a clothing brand that is all about preserving the African identity, drawing inspiration from several cultures and the African way of life from a Malawian youth perspective.

Speaking to the young man, he explained what Inspired him to come up with the name “Warak” as a brand name.

 “Warak is a unique name, made-up name. When creating the brand, I knew what I wanted it to stand for, the core values and mission. I needed a name that was original and reflective of our identity”. Chandie said.

The positive reception of the clothing brand, shows that it deeply resonates with people who value the preservation of African roots while embracing the future.

Through his designs, Chandie aims to merge traditional culture with modern fashion, creating a unique and authentic African identity that resonates with the youth and with his brand, he provides a space for cultural expression.

“Inspired by the slang terms Watchena/wausosola, Warak was born. It symbolizes the essence of what the brand represents, crafted from scratch with a distinctive and authentic African identity “he added.

Chandie also talked about how his brand is an influence on his career overall. He said that juggling two careers is not an easy thing to do but handling music and fashion is simpler for him because the two interconnect and fuel each other. Clothing design has been his passion since he was quite young and he thought why not come up with a clothing brand while he also focuses on his music because he can do both.

“Some people discover my brand through my music and vice versa. Either ways both the brand and my music define Waner Chandie and while the brand hasn’t started influencing my music career significantly yet, I am confident that it will play an even bigger role on my career overall moving forward” Chandie explained.

He emphasized on how his brand connects to his fans in his community. He said: “The response from the community and fans has been incredible so far and shall continue to be because so many people resonate with what the brand represents. Our mission is to not only preserve the African identity and draw inspiration from diverse cultures and the African way of life but also Malawians to be specific, all seen through the eyes of Malawian youth”

“A great example of how the brand connects with the community is how African youths are increasingly merging traditional culture with modern fashion. This approach ensures that the culture isn’t diluted but rather celebrated and revitalised in a way that speaks to the new generation “.

Chandie also added that young people are incorporating Malawian chitenje patterns into streetwear or modern silhouettes.

 This is something that keeps the culture alive, relevant and accessible to today’s youth, who are proud to wear their heritage in a modern context of their choice.

“My brand taps into this movement, providing a platform for this cultural expression, and the positive reception shows that it resonates deeply with people who value the preservation of our African roots while embracing the future”

He further added on how he sees his brand progressing in the future. Chandie sees his brand evolving into a leading cultural force that not only preserves the African identity, but also sets trends in global fashion, influencing and inspiring the next generation “.