The London premiere of the 2019 Disney classic remake happened last night (14.07.19) in London and when pictures were uploaded on various social media platforms Kenyans could not help but notice the Magical Kenya logo on the yellow banner that was the background of almost every photo from the event.

Looks simple right? It’s not. That black binding you see is leather. Actual leather, not faux leather (check out my future article on how to tell the difference). The pocket square is also leather. Oh, and it’s not a pocket square, it’s a pocket circle. And the pants also have a leather waistband. My first ever suit and I could not be more in love with it. The compliments flowed on gala night, but to be honest I was not really fishing for them.

The preservation of the designer’s African heritage lies at the heart of the brand, and even the name Fiu Negru is a nod to the past. Having been named Angolan Fashion Designer of the Year in 2015 by Moda Luanda, the brand continues to grow and spread its reach.

We cannot ignore the role that fashion designers from different parts of the world play in the global scene. As African designers, it is our responsibility to package our products in a manner that highlights our way of life and show the world what we can do. When we constantly share this with the rest of the world, it gives people a deeper understanding of our diverse cultures. This, in turn, help increase our influence as more people want to learn about our brands that support African culture.

Liz Akuku made it a point to ensure that every ingredient used would be easy to read on the package. That is why she uses only organic and natural ingredients such as cocoa butter, shea butter, avocado oil, mango butter, coconut oil and essential oils.