Burundi-born, Italy-based designer Fabiola Manirakiza first fell in love with fashion as a child growing up in an orphanage in Zaire (nuns taught her how to sew). After arriving in Marche, a seaside region of Italy, in 1990, Manirakiza spent time paying it forward and raising awareness in the media for African orphanages. During one interview, a journalist fell in love with the handmade dress Manirakiza was wearing. Encouraged by the interaction and bolstered by order requests from friends, along with experience gained from assisting a stylist in Paris, Manirakiza started her label in 2016.
Frida Kiza is a clever hybrid of her surname and the feminist icon Frida Kahlo. For the fall/winter 2021 season, Manirakiza painted a fantastical image of Italian art through the lively filter of African culture. Botticelli's "Primavera" inspired the collection, which features black and white Renaissance motifs trimmed with African-style geometric print and Manirakiza's standout reimagining of the famous painting, with African figures. The beautiful, unique designs are a perfect reflection of her colourful cultural identity.