The Founder - Meet Belange Mutunda

"As a fashion designer, my role extends beyond creating extravagant pieces of clothing. It also involves addressing the issues faced by our society, both within and outside of the fashion industry. This is why I strive to be actively involved in community projects, doing my part to help ensure a better future for those I serve and for the world we inhabit."
— Belange Mutunda, CEO, Founder & Fashion Designer

About Belange

Belange Mutunda is a multi-award-winning fashion designer whose creative vision and passion have propelled her to the forefront of the U.S. fashion industry. Known for her vibrant, conversation-starting designs, bold styles, and pops of color, Belange blends aesthetic excellence with social impact. Her decade-long journey reflects resilience, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Early Life

Belange Mutunda’s remarkable journey in fashion began in 2014, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, at just 17 years old. At the time, she was a mathematics and physics major in high school, on track to follow in her father’s footsteps as an engineer. However, just three months before graduating, she discovered her passion for fashion design. Determined to pursue this newfound calling, she set her sights on attending fashion school in college.

She started teaching herself sewing skills through YouTube videos, books, and online resources, driven by curiosity and determination. With only $10 to her name and no formal background in business or fashion, she took her first steps into entrepreneurship. Belange began creating and reselling handmade products, using discarded and repurposed materials like plastic bags, secondhand clothing, plastic bottles, and more. She transformed these materials into jewelry, purses, backpacks, wallets, and decorative flowers, primarily adorned with African prints as a way to celebrate and honor her culture.

Despite facing severe bullying during this time, Belange’s talent and entrepreneurial spirit won over those who once doubted her. Her bullies became her marketers, spreading the word about her work and helping the business grow through powerful word-of-mouth support.

As the business grew, every member of her family became more involved. Her mother served as her buyer, helping to purchase African prints. Her father contributed to the business by investing in its growth. Her brothers created her first website. Her younger sister made deliveries whenever Belange couldn’t, and her older sister, supported the venture by helping buy supplies in China.

Despite the fast business growth and growing fanbase,  Belange's small business still had no official name. It was her elder sister who suggested the name "Belange Handmade" —combining the founder's first name, meaning Pretty Angel in French, with Handmade to reflect the craft and care that went into every piece. That is how "Belange Handmade" aka "BHM" was born.