La Sape fashion goes global at World Cup

Congo national team arrive at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, Texas, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 11, 2026.

Photo credit: Reuters

Forget the coaches' tactical plans, fitness sessions, and training drills at the ongoing Fifa World Cup. If there is one person who might be busier than everyone else, it is Alvin Mak, the 30-year-old self-taught Congolese designer.

Mak may not have received much attention before the tournament, but since the Democratic Republic of Congo's arrival at the World Cup, he has barely had time to breathe, with his work becoming one of the tournament's biggest talking points.