Kenya has always been an inspiration for global fashion, from the Maasai shuka and beadwork, to kikoi and kanga fabrics.
The fashion and design scene in the country has grown over the years with Kenyan designers setting the pace for not only African designers but global designers as well with their unique and cutting edge designs. We highlight a few Kenyan fashion designers who have made names for themselves, while defying the status quo with their bold and innovative designs.
AMU
Named after the Arabic word for Lamu, Amu aims to craft effortlessly fabulous, high quality garments with a combination of structure and softness that bring a sense of comfort to their consumers. Randy Gowan is the handsome up and coming designer leading this brand with the help of Jasleen Matharu as the creative director and Baiju Vaijda who makes the magic happen on the business side with his background in running small business growth programmes across Asia and Africa. The brand is an homage to the rich history and exceptional mix in history of Lamu, Amu focuses on minimalist designs and coastal palates.
Its market is stylish, conscious and quality driven consumers interested in buying into the form and substance of coastal life. High quality fabric is sourced locally and incorporates fibres from East Africa, Italy and the Middle East and manufactured by Design CoLab, an artisanal tailor based in Karen, Nairobi. Batch production is carried out for each collection with a fixed and limited supply of each piece. We can’t wait to rock Amu in Lamu!
Fintan Fashion
Filbert Mutua Mkwiche is not your everyday fashion designer. If there is one thing he knew for sure is that his creations would be unlike any in the industry. His pieces are anything but ordinary, a unique feature that distinguishes him from his competitors. The founder of Fintan Fashion, came into the industry to bring in the extra touch and to add a little bit of presence when someone wears one of his pieces.
His pieces perfectly articulate elegance, glamour and class that are the defining aspects of bespoke fashion. Having an opportunity to wear a Fintan Fashion design is an experience like no other.
Tribal Trends
Tribal Trends creates wearable art pieces for the bold and confident woman using glass, wood shell beads and recycled materials. Founded in 2013 by Sophy Wanjiku, its core values lie in humanity, peace, love and unity through their art.
Having been unable to complete her education due to lack of fees and early pregnancy, Sophy believes in empowering underprivileged women through training and employment while alleviating poverty to ensure they contribute to the society they live in.
Crafted
The brand specializes in streetwear apparel and fashion accessories made from locally sourced materials as part of their mission to reduce their carbon footprint. They are environmentally conscious as they use surplus materials imported which have ended up being categorized as waste material to craft their comfy garments.
Their designs are often exclusive to a few pieces in each collection due to their use of surplus materials in their bid to be a sustainable brand. Ideal for everyday wear, the options are endless for who or how they can wear their designs as the range offers no restrictions.
Lila Bare
Sustainability meets creativity with Lilabare, an ethical fashion brand that creates clothing from locally sourced materials. A beautiful fusion of various world cultures, their designs demonstrate their drive to create sustainable clothing that can be worn through any season, often made from repurposed and recycled clothing.
The collection embraces gender fluidity and size inclusiveness in their clothes made ethically by local designers.
Boguk
Unconventional is one word that can simply describe their pieces. BOGUK, founded by Bevern Oguk and Anna Framhein, strikes a balance between high fashion and mainstream fashion through their creative incorporation of unlikely elements such as intricate beadwork, and fabric treatment such as tie and dye in everyday pieces.
Their pieces tell a Kenyan story, from the designer to the materials used as well as the tailors who bring the ideas to life.
Kapoeta by Ambica
Kapoeta by Ambica is a luxury eco brand that creates handmade feather jewelry and accessories where . Derived from the name of a small town in Southern Sudan, Kapoeta draws inspiration from the Dinka, a tribe native to the region whose culture relies on feather and beads adornments.
Their collections beautifully capture the rich history and culture of communities such as the Samburu, Native Americans and Gypsy Indians who share the age old culture of feather adornments. Her pieces defy boundaries and utilise different styles and materials to create unique pieces, such as her unordinary ear cuffs that fuse bohemian and traditional elements resulting in modern and elegant pieces.
