From Cameroon to the Global Stage: First Lady Fatima Maada Bio Wears the MÄFO Dress at UNGA 2026
Some moments remind you why you create.
Seeing Her Excellency Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone, wearing the MÄFO Dress at the Global Reputation Forum, a UNGA 2026 side event in New York, was one of those moments. For KiBONEN, it was a meaningful expression of African heritage in a room of global influence.
MÄFO means Queen Mother in Cameroon’s Bamileke cultural tradition. Drawing inspiration from the visual language of Ndop, the dress carries a story of identity, dignity and belonging into contemporary fashion.
That has always been our vision: to create clothing that allows our heritage to move naturally through the lives we lead today, from brunches and boardrooms to international gatherings.
Seeing a Sierra Leonean First Lady wear a Cameroonian design gave that vision a wider meaning. It reflected the possibility of African fashion crossing borders while remaining rooted in its origins. Our textile traditions and design languages belong in global spaces, with their identities intact.
Her Excellency made MÄFO her own, layering the purple and green dress beneath an elegant cream embroidered coat. The print remained unmistakable, while her styling brought a personal expression to the look.
This individuality is at the heart of the MÄFO Dress Movement. Women from different countries, generations and professions wear the same culturally significant dress, each bringing her own style and story.
What began with seven women has grown into a community connected through fashion, culture and conversation. Every woman who wears MÄFO adds another chapter.
For KiBONEN, seeing the dress during UNGA week affirmed what we are working toward: an African fashion industry whose designers help shape the global conversation. Our creativity can carry history, build connections and find its place in rooms where decisions are made.
From Cameroon to Sierra Leone, and from seven women to a growing international community, the journey continues.
Wear the MÄFO Dress. Make it your own. Carry an African story into your rooms of influence.
One Dress. Many Women. One African Story.
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