By Our Reporter
There are fashion shows where the clothes are the main attraction. Then there are those where fashion becomes part of a larger cultural experience. Speedball Summer 2026 was the latter.
On August 1, Motiv in Bugolobi hosted Kampala’s creatives, fashion enthusiasts and cultural tastemakers for the Speedball Summer, a youth-led showcase that brought together streetwear, music, art and performance.
This year, Guinness Smooth partnered with the event through its Make It Yours campaign, placing creativity, individuality and self-expression at the centre of the experience.
The partnership came alive during the show’s Make It Yours segment, where members of the audience were invited to reimagine outfits that had appeared on the runway.
Some added colour. Others altered the structure of the garments, introduced new details or took the designs in entirely different directions.
It was a departure from the usual relationship between fashion designers and audiences, where the crowd watches from a distance. At Speedball Summer, guests were invited into the creative process.
One garment could carry the ideas of several people, while a single pair of trousers could be interpreted in different ways.
For Guinness Smooth Brand Manager Denise Paula Nazzinda, the moment reflected the purpose behind the partnership. “Through Make It Yours, Guinness Smooth is creating opportunities for young people to express themselves boldly and turn their ideas into something meaningful,” Nazzinda said. “Speedball has built a community that celebrates originality, collaboration and authentic self-expression. This partnership allowed us to support a platform where young creatives are not only showcasing their talent but also shaping culture through their own stories and perspectives.”
Speedball founder David Mulolo wanted to move beyond the familiar fashion runway, he partnered with Joshua Waiswa, popularly known as Josh SB, and his 360 Immersive team to combine a fashion show with a live orchestra. The result was a production that often felt closer to a staged performance than a conventional runway.
The lighting was crisp, the transitions were measured and the models moved through the space with the orchestra providing a changing soundtrack.
At one point, the music carried the dramatic mood of a James Bond film. Later, the energy shifted as the show closed with Kanye West and Jay-Z’s N**as in Paris.
The combination of orchestral music and streetwear created moments that made the audience briefly forget they were watching a fashion show in Kampala.
The clothes, however, remained central.
Models appeared in baggy jeans, oversized jackets, cut T-shirts, leather pieces, chains and distressed garments. The designs were bold but wearable, reflecting Speedball’s approach to street fashion: expressive without being difficult to wear.
Every garment presented on the runway was designed and made in Uganda, using materials sourced locally.
For Mulolo, the phrase “Made in Uganda” should become more than a manufacturing detail.
“Three years ago, many of us were 17 or 18 years old and had an idea,” Mulolo said after the show. “Today, we are bringing together large crowds and building something that people believe in. Every piece on that runway was designed and made in Uganda. We want ‘Made in Uganda’ to become something people are proud to wear and support.”
The brand’s ambitions extend beyond selling clothes. Speedball wants to expand its production capacity, train more young people and build a stronger local fashion ecosystem.
“We want to create a space where we can produce more, customise more and train more people,” Mulolo said. “Every garment people saw was made by a small team. Imagine what could be achieved with more skilled people and better production capacity. That is how we can build a stronger industry and eventually compete on the global stage.”
The Guinness Smooth partnership also brought music into the evening through a halftime performance featuring Tracy Noel, Julius Ssese and the orchestra. The performers moved between familiar songs such as Rihanna’s Rude Boy and Ne-Yo’s Miss Independent before transitioning to newer hits, including Ayra Starr’s Who’s That Girl.
The orchestra was not merely background music. It helped shape the rhythm of the evening, connecting fashion, performance and popular culture.
Nazzinda said supporting platforms such as Speedball Summer is part of Guinness Smooth’s wider effort to work with creative communities and give young talent opportunities to be seen.
“Creativity has the power to shape culture and open new possibilities,” she said. “When young people are given the right platforms, they can collaborate, build communities and create experiences that reflect who they are. Speedball Summer showed the confidence and originality that exists within Uganda’s creative scene.”