The Leopards’ striking leopard-print suits turned heads in Houston and put designer Alvin Junior Mak in the global spotlight.
Houston, United States (Running Africa) — DR Congo’s arrival at the 2026 FIFA World Cup made headlines long before the Leopards stepped onto the pitch, as the team turned Houston’s airport into a global fashion runway with a striking display of Congolese style and cultural pride.
The squad arrived wearing custom black silk double-breasted suits featuring velvet leopard-print lapels, gold leopard brooches, and matching designer travel bags—an ensemble that quickly became one of the tournament’s most talked-about fashion moments.
The collection was created by Congolese designer Alvin Junior Mak, founder of the Paris-based luxury fashion house JMAKxPARIS, who said the designs were intended to showcase the richness of Congolese identity on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages.
Drawing inspiration from La Sape—the iconic Congolese movement that celebrates elegance, self-expression, and dignity through fashion—Mak also paid tribute to the historic 1974 Zaire national team, the first sub-Saharan African side to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
Every detail of the collection carried symbolic meaning. The leopard-print accents honored the national team’s nickname, the Leopards, while the black silk represented resilience, ambition, and the enduring spirit of the Congolese people.
Mak said the project was designed to reshape global perceptions of DR Congo at a time when international headlines have largely focused on the country’s humanitarian and security challenges, including the Ebola outbreak in its eastern region.
The team’s arrival outfits quickly went viral across social media, earning praise from football fans, fashion enthusiasts, and celebrities around the world for blending luxury fashion with African heritage.
Reflecting on the overwhelming response, Mak said he was humbled by the global attention and hopeful that the collection had delivered a powerful message about the continent’s creativity.
“I wanted to change people’s views on Africa,” he said. “It’s important to have this mindset that we are capable of anything.”
The viral moment has further highlighted how African fashion is increasingly becoming a powerful form of cultural diplomacy, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup providing another platform for the continent to showcase its creativity far beyond the football field.
