Hanifa's Fall 2023 Collection Offers Decadent Knits for the 'Everyday Woman'

Anifa Mvuemba did not “snap back” after her pregnancy.

The new mother and creative designer of Hanifa says she’s feeling new pressures that come with motherhood, about how she should look or act. Pushing back against them is part of what inspired her Fall 2023 collection, which is replete with colorful knitwear, decadent details and sharp silhouettes.

“I always like to think that Hanifa is in sync with where I’m at in my life: just coming out of maternity leave,” Mvuemba tells Fashionista. “I hate that society makes women feel like their life is over when you have a child, even though no one says it.”

The 14-piece collection, which is now available to shop exclusively on the Hanifa website, is everything autumnal lines usually aren’t: For a season when designers typically lean into chocolate browns and crimson, the brand’s colorways are bubblegum pink and sunset orange. It’s Mvuemba’s intention for her customer to stand out.

“This collection is about the woman — the boss, the mom, the everyday woman — really doing what she wants to do, going at her dreams and goals everyday,” she says. “The reason why we shot (the campaign) in New York is because New York gives you that hustle-and-bustle feeling. This is why the visuals have her running through the city, doing her thing and looking beautiful.”

As with all Hanifa collections, it’s the details that make the pieces really stand out — in this case, the cutouts accentuating the chest or belly, embellished by buttons and loops. There’s also an ocean blue gown, that teases an upcoming bridal drop. Altogether, Fall 2023 combines sophistication with femininity and boldness, just what Mvuemba embodies.

“I don’t want to feel like because I have a child, I have to slow down,” she says. “Hanifa is bigger than me at this point.”

Shop the collection, and keep scrolling to see Hanifa Fall 2023.

Photo: Courtesy of Hanifa