Ingo Shanyenge pours heart out with Valentine’s Day collection

Leading Namibian fashion designer Ingo Shanyenge had hearts racing last week with the release of his latest viral advert and photo shoot featuring Valentine’s Day outfits.

The shoot, featuring renowned models William Mensah and Erika Kazombaruru, was unveiled on Wednesday.

The models displayed two exquisite and distinctive ensembles.

Shanyenge’s brand is renowned for its daring and inclusive designs.

The Valentine’s collection includes reinterpreted clothing with a strong theme of love.

The gender neutral collection aims to encourage people to embrace their individuality and show off their sense of style as a celebration of self-love and confidence.

Blending the hallmarks of boldness and comfort, the collection adds a dash of glamour and self-affirmation while remaining wearable and stylish.

Over the weekend, Shanyenge told The Namibian the collection served as the inspiration for the shoot’s original concept.

“We reinvented an existing concept and took this opportunity to showcase love through the Ingo Shanyenge brand. The idea was to be a little different, so we decided not to use the usual Valentine’s merchandise such as roses, wine and chocolates,” he said.

“I carefully considered every aspect when building two pieces in red… I wanted something edgy and stylish and since I had already worked with the two models, it was simple for me to put the looks together in a few days.”

Shanyenge said in an attempt to kick off the campaign, Mensah optimistically got in touch with him and enquired about any Valentine’s Day clothing he might have.

“Pupkewitz BMW and the Heinitzburg Hotel were two of the concepts William had to emulate. Being in business with William is not easy, so at first, I was a little reluctant,” he said.

However, Shanyenge maintained that he and William directed and produced the videos, and after giving it some thought, he brought in KC Art Photography and Raw Media for the photos and videos.

“Both the shoot and commercial were exceptionally well received on Valentine’s Day, which was definitely a step in the right direction and a win for the entire team,” he said.

Ingo Shanyenge is a collective brand that offers men’s and women’s clothing lines.

The brand considered rebranding this year and now aims to focus more on women’s wear that exudes luxury and glamour.

“We do creative content more regularly and collaborating with other creatives a lot more than usual.”

“It’s significant that the brand has been expanding over time. I want to get bigger this year, to establish connections, work together, produce new art and display it for public viewing.”