A new T-shirt shop in Benghazi has become a talking point among the youth in the city''s popular coffee shops.
Boza, meaning "stylish", is the first of its kind in Libya according to its owners, selling T-shirts, bags, and scarves printed with slogans like "Made in Libya", "Walk like a Libyan" or a jumble of letters spelling out Benghazi.
Some T-shirts are printed with "I love Cyrenaica", referring to the eastern province where calls for more regional autonomy have heightened since the revolution.
Other colourful T-shirts carry portraits of King Idris, whom Gaddafi ousted in his 1969 coup.
"Our designs have political messages, it is difficult to separate daily life from politics," Ahmed Benmussa, a 32-year old oil engineer and Boza co-owner, said.
"We take inspiration from Libyan heritage because we have a rich culture. Reviving history is one of our aims."
Importing blank T-shirts and scarves from Turkey, its designers use a small printing machine to decorate the clothes and accessories. Customers can also personalise goods or propose new designs on a "suggestion wall" in the store.
The T-shirts sell for around 50 Libyan dinars ($40).
Capitalising on Boza's success in Benghazi, plans are now under way to open a branch very soon in the capital.
(Source: Star Online)
