“Redefining wearable art”
KIUMBE is a sort of creative world apart, led by three incredibly talented women; Marushka, Dija and Jordan. Each woman has a strong personality and style, they are dedicated to the transformative power of creativity. This is shown through their unique and bespoke hand-crafted wearable works of art as well as their elaborate styling and set designs. KIUMBE creates a “kulture” where it is safe to express yourself, be disruptive and nonconformist.
Marushka is the representative
for this virtual pandemic interview,
her earthy voice exudes confidence and eases you right into the conversation, she makes you feel at ease. Her tattoos are laced with stories and mark specific stepping stones in her life, placed in some very obvious and not so obvious places you cannot miss her when she is in a crowd.
I admire Marushka’s genuine bad ass attitude and we get deep in our conversations. She talks to me about obstacles she faced, one being herself. She has learnt to leverage the challenges within herself by using all the awkward and confusing experiences in her life to create a genuine identity and purpose.
Also to synthesize everything that she perceives as weakness and weave them into someone she wants to be and is happy with. Marushka is Polynesian/Croatian and grew up in California so she is no stranger to American culture and lifestyle but her home is Kenya. She fuses her multicultural backgrounds to create some artistic magic whether it be her jewelry, her fashion or the beautiful self-written songs that she perfectly accompanies on her guitar.
“Kiumbe means “creature/to create”
in Swahili, signifying our brand’s ethos;
to create and curate a “Kulture” that defies conventional aesthetics through disruptive design and non binary beauty.”
KIUMBE’s customer base are conscious buyers who don’t care for mass produced items but much prefer the meticulous works of highly trained artisans. You will not find any machines at KIUMBE’s studio as none of their pieces are ever identical. Instead they co-create them with different people and artisans in communities across Kenya such as Makina Market, Kuona Trust and Bombolulu Cultural Center to name a few. They ensure that our supply chain does not feed the ‘fast fashion’ industry destroying our planet. The founders are committed to use KIUMBE as a playground that invites consumers to be creators.
“We continue to produce bespoke, custom orders for select clients to guarantee mindful practices and quality materials. As much as possible, we want to do all we can to provide ethically sourcedand sustainably made items that honour the best designer of all, the most amazing creature &creator – KIUMBE’s greatest creative inspiration – Our Earth.”
KIUMBE is no stranger to fashion week and celebrities, they have been worn by some living legends like Erykah Badu and Lupita Nyong’o and were also featured in one of the most groundbreaking issues of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition featuring Tyra Banks. The women have also accessorized a runway collection for NYFW (2019) and Fampala Fashion Week (2018) all while creating the largest art installation in the biggest mall in East Africa (Two Rivers). The women are not limited to fashion, they also have designed stages, worked on music videos, commercials and did the interior decorations for Nairobi’s famous J’s bar. Their favorite work stays creating for everyday people who say that putting on their KIUMBE gives them a boost of confidence & courage that makes them feel like they can face the world. We end the interview with my final question, what does luxury mean to you? Marushka’s answer is simple.
“Luxury is time. Luxury is space. Luxury is stimulating our creative senses, touch, sights and sounds. Luxury is not reserved for the wealthy.”
