Mvuemba began designing garments after taking a fashion design course while in her junior year of high school. She began creating dresses for friends and other clients in 2011, at the age of 21, after posting a picture of a dress she made out of fabric scraps to
Instagram. Mvuemba then taught herself the technical knowledge of sewing by watching
YouTube videos and examining her aunt, a seamstress, while working. She launched her own fashion brand, Hanifa, in 2012. In 2021, her debut in-person fashion show "Hanifa Dream" was held at the
National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. That same year, she was named as an awardee of the annual
CFDA/
Vogue Fashion Fund, as well as the recipient of
InStyle's Future of Fashion Award. In 2022, two of Mvuemba's designs were included in "Those Who Dress Better", a fashion exhibit curated by Black Fashion Fair and the estate of
Jean-Michel Basquiat. In August of that year, she confronted fast fashion brand
Fashion Nova for copying the design of her Jax Knit Gown, which resulted in the removal of Fashion Nova's version from their website. In 2023, Hanifa debuted its first bridal collection in
Middleburg, Virginia. Mvuemba's garments have been worn by celebrities such as
Beyoncé,
Gabrielle Union,
Ashley Graham,
Sarah Jessica Parker,
Bella Hadid,
Lizzo,
Padma Lakshmi,
Fantasia,
Kylie Jenner, and
Ciara. She additionally designed
Savannah James' look for the 2025
Met Gala. ==Personal life==