Troy Elimu Explains How Uganda’s Creatives Can Go Global

Troy Elimu is making waves not only with his music but also with his impact on the fashion industry.

As the mind behind Denim Cartel and Kente Creations, he has watched Uganda’s fashion scene evolve over the years, and he shared his insights during a conversation on The Ugandan Boy Talk Show.

Reflecting on his early days as a model, Troy opened up about the growth of Uganda’s fashion industry and the challenges creatives face.

Being a model, I modeled back in the days. I believe that Uganda as a whole has a lot of talent when it comes to the fashion industry. I just feel like we have a certain group of people who do not understand how much impact the creative industry has on the global market or the Ugandan economy.

Troy praised Uganda’s young talent, pointing out that creativity is everywhere from designers to artistes, but support and recognition are often missing.

When you look at what Uganda has to offer, Ugandan kids are so talented. I myself am sometimes blown away by the creatives I meet, the designers I meet. I feel like we just need to be more supportive, more open minded, and receptive. We need to welcome talents and also nurture them.

He also addressed the struggle many creatives face in turning their passion into a sustainable business.

As a creative, I have also faced challenges of how to navigate between the creative side and the business side. Many people fail to cross over to the business side of it. How do I monetize my craft? How do I turn this art into something that benefits me at the end of the day?

Looking to the future, Troy expressed optimism for Uganda’s potential on the global stage, encouraging ambition and determination.

Looking at how fast things have turned out, I feel like Uganda is on a global journey. We just need to receive, support, and amplify every creative we meet, amplify every artiste we meet, and put them on the global scene. We are talented, that is a fact, from the music to the fashion industry to the production industry. If we actually paid attention to the details, we have what it takes to be on global stages. We have what it takes to work with the likes of Jay Z and Burna Boy. We just have to be very hungry and direct.