The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s misfortunes have often eclipsed its good news, with ongoing armed conflicts and most recently an Ebola outbreak. Much of the world knows little of the country’s vibrant arts scene, and last weekend in the capital, Kinshasa, models showed off daring new looks dreamed up by local designers on the catwalk. (Photo by Olivia Acland/The Guardian)

Participants get ready ahead of a fashion show organized by Daspu, a fashion house founded and run by prostitutes, during the Women of the World (WOW) festival, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil November 18, 2018. (Photo by Pilar Olivares/Reuters)

A makeup artist works on a model during the Tunis Fashion Week 2018 in Tunis, Tunisia, 12 May 2018. (Photo by Mohamed Messara/EPA/EFE)

Models get prepared backstage before Wagner Kallieno Winter Collection 2016 show during Sao Paulo Fashion Week in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 23, 2015. (Photo by Paulo Whitaker/Reuters)

Models backstage at the Lagos Fashion & Design Week in Nigeria on October 26, 2016. The opening night attracted models, buyers, consumers and the media to view the latest creations by African designers, five of whom were showcasing plus-size collections in the Nigerian city. (Photo by Stefan Heunis/AFP Photo)

(L-R) Marisa Berenson, Caroline de Maigret, Nicki Minaj and Lou Doillon attend the Haider Ackermann show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2017/2018 on March 4, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images)

Fashion from the Phuong My bridal collection is modeled, Thursday April 11, 2019 in New York. (Photo by Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo)

Model Irina Shayk wears a creation as part of the Versace men's Spring-Summer 2020 collection, unveiled during the fashion week, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 15, 2019. (Photo by Luca Bruno/AP Photo)