The Society of Ambianceurs and Elegant People

Being a Sapeur is more than a way of dressing, more than a hobby and more than a means of earning money and respect. It's a prestigious brotherhood with its own moral and social codes and ultimately it is a way of life and survival. For many it is an escape daily problems and hardships, dressing up and parading in the streets makes them feel important, allowing them to forget their daily struggles in a chaotic Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Often treated as celebrities, their embodied art form brings them both a touch of glamour and a reprieve from the humble, bleak, and even destitute neighbourhoods they have spent their entire lives in. Rival Sapeur groups compete for attention and visibility in the streets, at events and on television and radio shows. Despite their obsession with fashion, most will never experience first hand the sights of the fashion capitals of the world.