Augustine Mabiama in Nakuin Couture store in Douala, Cameroon. Photo: Nakuin Couture. In one corner of a busy fashion house in Douala, Cameroon, designer Augustine Mabiama is in the middle of a photo shoot, using a makeshift photo studio equipped with an 18-inch light ring and a smartphone on a stand.
Showcasing a range of outfits of different styles and colours, Mabiama checks the lighting quality of the images. Making a few adjustments to the clothes in preparation for the next shot, she walks back in front of the camera, poses for a moment, and then walks back around the light ring to check the image. This is all part of a slick and professional routine.
Mabiama is the founder of Nakuin Couture , a fashion house that has cemented her reputation across the country. The chosen pictures – with herself as a model – will go through an editing process, and in the coming days, they will land on the Nakuin Couture Instagram page. “Social media marketing is key”, Mabiama explained, as she navigated the middle of racks and shelves inside a busy showroom.
“I recently bought this shooting set and this iPhone for the purpose of promoting my creations and the brand” she explained, showing off her newly acquired gear. A model posing for a photo dressed in Nakuin Couture fit in Douala, Cameroon. Photo: Nakuin Couture.
Mabiama’s story of founding a Cameroonian fashion powerhouse is also a tale of escape from convention. Born and raised in a middle-class family in Cameroon’s.
