Martin Kadinda is young and talented Tanzania’s Fashion Designer. If I can be more specific, his ancestors are from Iringa region although he was raised in the buzzing coastal City of Dar-es-salaam, which means “Haven Of Peace”.
I have known Martin for years. Every time he surprises me with his talents. Among numerous talents bestowed on him, Fashion designing probably ranks somewhere on top.
To know Martin is to appreciate him. Listening to him, you’d understand that his humble beginnings shaped who he is today. He commenced his journey into fashion designing through modeling. But before getting on stage, he was a fashion shows organizer. He enjoyed being behind the scenes at first. He coached, trained and instructed models and produced some of the most successful fashion shows in Tanzania.
The above are some of the skills he cultivated and took them along when he boarded into another journey; Talent Management. Today, he manages Wema Sepetu, a former Miss Tanzania and an actress who is larger than life by her own merits.
But even with his seemingly busy schedule, Martin gets time to put his fashion designing talent at work. He is, after all, more recognized as a Fashion Designer than anything else although Talent Management comes close.
Across Tanzania he is also known as Mr. Single Bottom. He got that nickname when he introduced single buttoned blazers. Well-known acts like artist Diamond Platnumz helped push his signature. I believe it was an inauguration of many things to come like Kivumbi, Ng’asti, Kwachukwachu and Kaloosh collections, and now anxiously waiting for his new Exclusive MKTZ, Exclusive high ends mens wear, tailoring to cater for Cooperate clients. But right now he is introducing Mwanana Collection to the world.
Recently he was in South Africa to participate in South Africa Fashion Week (SAFW) Mens wear week, Spring/summer collection held in Cape Town. He showcased Men’s Wear. He is now introducing Mwanana Collection. South Africa Fashion Week is continental Africa’s only stand-alone platform dedicated to the development and promotion of menswear within the African continent. Taking place twice a year in Cape Town, South Africa, SAMW aims to provide a world-class platform for menswear designers and brands to showcase their latest collections.
Series of shows runs for over four days. Only the best of men’s wear designers invited to be on the schedule each season. Martin Kadinda was among the talents alongside other designers like Mustafa Hassanalli (Tanzania), Nao Searati (South Africa), Ara kani (Zimbabwe), Mo’ko Elosa (Belgium) and many more. To get information about all the designers who participated you can check them at South Africa Mens wear week
Resembling his other collections I can describe Martin Kadinda’s designs as simple but detailed. They are ready to wear. Describing his Mwanana Collection, Martin says it was influenced by the sea breeze from beaches across Tanzania especially tourists attraction areas such as Zanzibar, Tanga, Bagamoyo and Dar-es-salaam. I completely agree, linen and bright colours was the way to go to have upepo Mwanana. Here are some of the designs from Mwanana Collection;
