INTERVIEW #32 JEAN BOSCO NZUBAHA

“I tell people my story with my clothes.”

Occupation:

Background in property management and influencer in vintage and sustainable fashion

What’s your relationship with clothes?

I tell people my story with my clothes. Clothes is the way for people to get to know me. It’s my identify. For example, when I came to Sweden in 2012 and I went into a store (I had another style at that time), the owner were suspected about me but the security people knew me and said I’m fine and not a criminal to the owner. Afterwards the security people  told me that if I style differently people will treat me differently.  After that, my style changed to more proper clothing and people treat me differently. The thing is that people look at you and they will treat you accordingly, if I wear expensive they will try to sell me expensive things. This is the reality. Clothes has power and people judge by them. 

How would you describe your style?

I mix a lot. I use vintage, classic vintage and sometimes I wear street style. I love Avant-gard style but it’s an expensive style and I cannot afford it. But at second hand I find new unique things. I mix things and I want to touch people with my style. I want to wear things that address all ages and can touch all of them, that’s why my style is ageless. I love details too, like rings. If you wear something colourful it’s happiness. I want to come and give people happiness. 

“The security people told me that if I dress differently people will treat me differently.”

How would you describe your closet?

My closet is actually a little bit messy. Now I’m doing my best to make it in a nice shape. I will put things I will give away soon. I want my closet to be clean. There’s a lot of things there, since second hand is so cheap I have bought a lot of stuff. I have a lot of shoes,  accessories and ties. Also jackets and suits. I think it’s a little bit of everything. The shoes I rotate according to seasons. 

What is a sustainable closet for you?

It’s the way you fix your wardrobe, the way you put things in order. It’s the way you choose to buy. Quality over quantity. Is a way to give away clothes, the one you don’t use. To keep the clothes you like so you don’t have to buy new ones. 

 What do you think about the fashion industry? 

“The fashion industry just produce more and more and people just want the new thing all the time. That’s why I went back to the old stuff, classic and vintage.”

Sometimes I get crazy. Sometimes I don’t want to say I do fashion, I do style. When I was young I wanted to have converse, but we wear poor. The first shoes I had was some fake converse with bad colouring that got stuck on my feet. That’s how bad it can be. The fashion industry just produce more and more and people just want the new thing all the time. That’s why I went back to the old stuff, classic and vintage. I like to clean my clothes, take care of them and use them over the years. That is style and not fashion. There’s so many wrong things in the fashion industry. 

What do you believe needs to change?

A lot of things. If you ask a fast fashion brand about the materials in their clothes and how it’s been produced, they don’t know. We’re in a crisis with fires all over the world and that comes from how we handle recourses. The fashion industry should take more care about the world we live in. It’s about taking care of our planet, our common home.  

What can one do that seeks to create a more sustainable closet?

·     Don’t buy new production

·     Go through your closet, clean it and keep it in order

·     Change your attitude towards consumption and make it healthier 

“The fashion industry should take more care about the world we live in. It’s about taking care of our planet, our common home.”