Art News: Dr Senait Mario: Promoting the colors of Ethiopia through fashion
Addis Abeba, July 05/2019 – Dr Senait Mario is a sociologist with a passion for fashion designing and promoting Ethiopia’s untapped yet rich cultural diversity through her collections. Born and raised in Wolaita, Sodo in southern Ethiopia, she left Ethiopia ten years ago and lived in Kenya and Uganda before finally settling in Rome, Italy, where she currently lives.
Dr Senait is not just a trained sociologist, who is also currently studying for her masters in Agricultural Science, but a fashion designer who works to promote Ethiopia’s untapped yet rich cultural diversity through her collections. “I promote Ethiopia through the colors I use in my fashion collections,” she told Addis Standard, “in so doing I was able to participate in some of the biggest fashion stages in the world such as in Milan, in London and in Paris.”
Dr Senait’s hard works in fashion and humanitarian areas have earned her international wards. In 2016, she was awarded the top 40 women of Africa in MICE award in Ghana; in 2017 she was named UN Peace Ambassador; and this year she was bestowed with an Honorary Doctorate degree from Nigeria for her works in promoting African culture, she told Addis Standard.
“My target is to promote Ethiopia in fashion industry and at the same time to bring investments to Ethiopia so as to help youth empowerment. To achieve my targets, I organize annual fashion show events like African Fashion Expo and Fashion for Peace.”
Her recent fashion show was staged in her hometown in Wolaita, Sodo. Dubbed “Peace Fashion Show”, it featured the works of eight different Ethiopian fashion designers and was attended by Biuzunesh Meseret, Ethiopia’s state minister of Tourism and Culture, Getahun Garedew, vice president of Southern regional state and Almaz Abraha, head of
Addis Abeba Women, Children and youth Affairs Bureau, and several invited guests from various embassies, and international organizations as well as community members.
Dr. Senait’s “Peace Fashion Show” was staged in connection with the annual cultural festival of Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regional State (SNNPRS) which was held on June 02/2019 in Wolaita, Sodo where 56 nations from southern Ethiopia took part in showcasing their cultural diversity. Dr Senait says she would like to continue her works in a more frequent and larger scale. AS