Matthew “Tayo” Rugamba is the Founder and Creative Director of House of Tayo, a men’s clothing brand based in Kigali, Rwanda.Rugamba started the business in 2011 just before his junior year of college with the money he saved up from a summer job.
House of Tayo was created out of the desire to find a unique way through which to showcase African sophistication, style and flavor through contemporary, locally-made clothing and accessories. With style influences ranging from the Motown era to traditional British tailoring, House of Tayo seeks to combine elegance and class with a strong sense of African heritage and iconography. The brand is truly authentic and homegrown, utilizing African textiles and fabrics, and produced by Rwandan tailors and artisans.
After completing his undergraduate degree at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon in 2013, Rugamba returned to Rwanda to grow his company. House of Tayo currently works with over 35 local tailors and seamstresses to produce their products. Their trademark bow ties are exclusively made by a women’s cooperative based in Kigali.

Rugamba is currently the subject of a web series on The Africa Channel charting his journey as a designer.