What are the chances that brides in wedding-struck Dar es Salaam and US First Lady Michelle Obama could have something in common? If you really want to know, look no further than the teeming second hand clothes markets in the city.
At the Kinondoni-Manyanya market in particular, one dealer likes to throw in the name Vera Wang, the famous fashion designer whose work, he says, is among his favourite.
But Amos Mtalima, 32, does not know who Vera Wang is nor does he dream of meeting her. All he cares about is that the name appears to move his merchandise fast.
Vera Wang is a fashion icon who has dressed royalty and other women in high places, among them Michelle Obama. The designer's profile rose even more among fashion enthusiasts in Africa, especially after she dressed the first black woman tenant of the White House.
Mtalima is not entirely surprised when told exactly who Vera Wang is. He told The Citizen on Saturday:
"I knew she was a designer from the name tag on the clothes that we sell. I did not know, though, that she deals with such big people…only that many of our clients appear to like her label. For me, that was a cue to be on the look-out for a similar name tag whenever I go shopping."
Mtalima is among the dealers now developing a niche selling second hand wedding gowns.
These are not quite the elegant dresses sold in high-end boutiques. You are more likely to find them hanging in stalls in not-so-clean surroundings.
Those who are familiar with the Kinondoni-Manyanya market will appreciate these dresses but, from a distance, a stranger would wonder if new brides could not do better. Yet local vendors are making a killing with second-hand wedding gowns. Reason? They are chic and cheap.
Mtalima has been selling these dresses for the past five years. The business is picking up rapidly, he says, with middle class trendsetters making up the bulk of new clients.
Word has spread so widely that boutique owners, even those serving the high end market, come calling.
When he started the business, the turn-out at his modest stall would be really low--mainly because of perceptions about second hand wedding clothes in those days. He adds: "Some considered them to be of use only to the underprivileged. Nowadays, I get orders from a wide range of customers, including those who call in advance for the right sizes."
These days, customers can even afford to be choosy about the designer labels. To get a second hand wedding dress, clients pay anything from Sh200,000 to Sh600,000 depending on the quality, design and the designer.
Similar wedding dresses from a boutique would set you back Sh600,000 to millions of shillings. "Besides Vera Wang, Caroline Herera is popular with clients," Mr Mtalima says.
"Those who know fashion come for them but we also get orders like three months before the planned weddings, so it pays."
It is not always easy to get good quality wedding dresses in a bale of second hand clothes, though. The search for the designer label takes patience and good taste.
"Sometimes I can go to the auction in Ilala and return with nothing because, in order to sell, you need to have good dresses--which are rare to find," Mr Mtalima adds. "I have to go there every day before I come here because you never know when you will get a Vera Wang."
The market is lucrative and many second hand dealers are also opting for wedding dresses because of the high returns. A single dress can fetch a profit of more than Sh200,000 compared to the regular clothes, which fetch about Sh5,000.
The business also depends on the seasons. Business is always difficult from January to April because there are fewer weddings during these months. Come May though, the business begins to thrive.
"This February, I have sold only two dresses against last December, when I sold more than five items in a week.
"That's why I have other clothes like office wear, evening dresses and others to cover for the drought."
At the stall, the dresses are arranged loosely and even appear shabby. But that is the least of the concerns of those who want to look glamourous on their big day.
According to Mtalima, those dresses look that way only because they do not rush to wash them for fear of rats and cockroaches.
"The exported clothes are usually treated with chemicals to keep away such pests. Our clients know it and those who see the items after they are dry-cleaned just gasp at the change."
Not all customers appreciate this though and Mtalima can only pity them, he says, since they do not know what they are missing. Once they are machine-washed, these dresses are as pretty as or even better than the expensive ones sold in boutiques.
He adds: "Weddings cost a lot and it is a fact that every bride wishes to wear a brand new dress but, look, in order to save for a rainy day it makes sense to opt for a second hand treat. After all, when you see what we sell on a bride you won't believe it. I have pictures to show for it."
At the Kinondoni-Manyanya market in particular, one dealer likes to throw in the name Vera Wang, the famous fashion designer whose work, he says, is among his favourite.
But Amos Mtalima, 32, does not know who Vera Wang is nor does he dream of meeting her. All he cares about is that the name appears to move his merchandise fast.
Vera Wang is a fashion icon who has dressed royalty and other women in high places, among them Michelle Obama. The designer's profile rose even more among fashion enthusiasts in Africa, especially after she dressed the first black woman tenant of the White House.
Mtalima is not entirely surprised when told exactly who Vera Wang is. He told The Citizen on Saturday:
"I knew she was a designer from the name tag on the clothes that we sell. I did not know, though, that she deals with such big people…only that many of our clients appear to like her label. For me, that was a cue to be on the look-out for a similar name tag whenever I go shopping."
Mtalima is among the dealers now developing a niche selling second hand wedding gowns.
These are not quite the elegant dresses sold in high-end boutiques. You are more likely to find them hanging in stalls in not-so-clean surroundings.
Those who are familiar with the Kinondoni-Manyanya market will appreciate these dresses but, from a distance, a stranger would wonder if new brides could not do better. Yet local vendors are making a killing with second-hand wedding gowns. Reason? They are chic and cheap.
Mtalima has been selling these dresses for the past five years. The business is picking up rapidly, he says, with middle class trendsetters making up the bulk of new clients.
Word has spread so widely that boutique owners, even those serving the high end market, come calling.
When he started the business, the turn-out at his modest stall would be really low--mainly because of perceptions about second hand wedding clothes in those days. He adds: "Some considered them to be of use only to the underprivileged. Nowadays, I get orders from a wide range of customers, including those who call in advance for the right sizes."
These days, customers can even afford to be choosy about the designer labels. To get a second hand wedding dress, clients pay anything from Sh200,000 to Sh600,000 depending on the quality, design and the designer.
Similar wedding dresses from a boutique would set you back Sh600,000 to millions of shillings. "Besides Vera Wang, Caroline Herera is popular with clients," Mr Mtalima says.
"Those who know fashion come for them but we also get orders like three months before the planned weddings, so it pays."
It is not always easy to get good quality wedding dresses in a bale of second hand clothes, though. The search for the designer label takes patience and good taste.
"Sometimes I can go to the auction in Ilala and return with nothing because, in order to sell, you need to have good dresses--which are rare to find," Mr Mtalima adds. "I have to go there every day before I come here because you never know when you will get a Vera Wang."
The market is lucrative and many second hand dealers are also opting for wedding dresses because of the high returns. A single dress can fetch a profit of more than Sh200,000 compared to the regular clothes, which fetch about Sh5,000.
The business also depends on the seasons. Business is always difficult from January to April because there are fewer weddings during these months. Come May though, the business begins to thrive.
"This February, I have sold only two dresses against last December, when I sold more than five items in a week.
"That's why I have other clothes like office wear, evening dresses and others to cover for the drought."
At the stall, the dresses are arranged loosely and even appear shabby. But that is the least of the concerns of those who want to look glamourous on their big day.
According to Mtalima, those dresses look that way only because they do not rush to wash them for fear of rats and cockroaches.
"The exported clothes are usually treated with chemicals to keep away such pests. Our clients know it and those who see the items after they are dry-cleaned just gasp at the change."
Not all customers appreciate this though and Mtalima can only pity them, he says, since they do not know what they are missing. Once they are machine-washed, these dresses are as pretty as or even better than the expensive ones sold in boutiques.
He adds: "Weddings cost a lot and it is a fact that every bride wishes to wear a brand new dress but, look, in order to save for a rainy day it makes sense to opt for a second hand treat. After all, when you see what we sell on a bride you won't believe it. I have pictures to show for it."
