Nyambo MasaMara

Eli Gold, also known as Nyambo MasaMara is a Rwandan multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer based in Cape Town. Quotes I grew up moving constantly,Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania. Each place taught me something new about what it means to be African Fashion has to speak, It should remind us of who we are Borders are not ours, they were drawn by others We need to produce for ourselves again. To dress our own people, Consciousness is already in our DNA Luxury is not our goal, Our goal is accessibility. But until we build strong production systems across the continent, prices will remain high I’m not here to preserve. I’m here to evolve. If our ancestors were alive today, what would they build? They built pyramids—maybe now we’d build things in the sky Our parents had to shrink themselves so we could stand here today, Now it’s our turn—to expand, rise, return to who we truly are Nyambo Masa Mara on Border Politics, Sustainability, and Building Masa Mara 18 November 2025 When I’m in my studio sketching, it’s always very spiritual. It’s always emotional. This time and space allows me to tap into inner thoughts that most people don’t see or know, because all my work comes from the experience. This is the space that I take everything in, allow it to recycle energy and share it to the world RWANDA’S NYAMBO MASAMARA TELLS HIS STORY IN VIVID FASHION n.d When I look from where I’m standing from, I don’t think that I’m a problem, where I am. I’m employing people, I’m giving them skills, I’m contributing to the country’s economy. There’s so many things that one brings, knowledge and skills. I have things that I’m offering. I didn’t just come with nothing. I came with so many things to offer (Fashion) stories of migration: MasaMara Wear 18 November 2021 You don't have to start with a lot in order to create something of value I am a citizen of the world, but more importantly, I am an African Challenges are inevitable. Challenges are also often understood to decelerate one's progress. However, my philosophy is simple. Small challenges are for small ideas and if I can't go big, I'd rather go home. It is not so much fashion for fashion's sake as it is fashion for meaningful storytelling. It is mostly to communicate a message or story My work is driven by my life's purpose, however it is also bigger than me. This is a higher calling that requires me to carry forward what those who came before me started - what my grandfather and mother started. My journey became my rite of passage (an initiation if you will) along which wisdom, knowledge, skills and courage were imparted to me in order to become the messenger. This is spiritual. I am therefore driven by my need to answer the calling. In anything that you do, you have to know your values. You need to know who you are and what you want in life otherwise you run the risk of being swayed in any direction. I'm a fan of African creation in general. I'm inspired, by all the African designers who are trying to carry that African lineage forward. Be true to yourself. Know who you are and what you want to give to the world. This will allow you to push any boundaries. It will also ensure that you stand firm when the challenges meet you where you are. Let us love ourselves and who we are as Africans. Let us look back and learn from those who've done tremendously for us to be here and remember that the future is looking to us Let us be conscious of all that we do so we can leave a lasting and meaningful legacy for those to come. Nyambo Masamara: Bridging cultures through art and fashion n.d My past stares at me, ever present, reminding me how I got each and every one of these scars We're telling stories from an African perspective. We're telling the stories of the brave ones Fashion speaks louder than words: Masa Mara's powerful collection 23 April 2023 I wanted to show that if we come together, understand and embrace one another, we can have a beautiful united Africa I always say, if the garments can correspond and show harmony and togetherness, we [as] people can also do that I come from a nation that was broken and now we're fixing ourselves and reuniting better than ever Through fashion, Rwandan-born designer champions African unity 26 May 2021 Category:Living people