JVS
(Dar es salaam)

Born in August 1975, Jamila’s love affair with fashion started at the tender age of 7, when she came across her auntie’s fashion sketches. At the age of 14 while she was still in high school, she started modeling and designing locally in Maputo for the agency she was signed with, Estudio Stilo.

Being of a petite stature and not being able to do modeling full time, Jamilla concentrated on what she was doing best, which was designing. To perfect her skills, she joined Institute de Bela Artes in Maputo to study fashion then later on moved to Fashion College International in Nairobi to complete her studies.

Not being content with just studying, she co-founded Sutur Couture in 2000. And participated in various fashion shows in Nairobi, Magadi and Dar-es-salaam, where she gained recognition. With her ideas and persona, she quickly made an impact on Advertising agencies who hired her to work as a costume designer on TV adverts such as Pilsner Ice, Konyagi, Kencell and Aids Awareness Campaigns.

In 2002, she returned to Dar es Salaam and established JamillaVeraSwai Studio. Since then, she has participated in various fashion shows through the years, including Swahili Fashion Week, Mozambique Fashion Week, South African Fashion Week and so on. Her Numerous clienteles include local celebrities and regular career women from all walks of life. Besides supplying her designs in her own studio, they are also available in some retails shops in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar - Tanzania, Nairobi - Kenya and North Carolina - United States of America (USA).