Nicole Tikolo’s “Urembo wa Pwani” Brings Kenyan Coastal Elegance to the 2025 Fashanne Awards

Emerging fashion designer Nicole Tikolo is capturing attention across the UK and beyond as a finalist in the prestigious 2025 Fashanne Awards under the Womenswear Design category.

Currently pursuing her fashion studies at Nottingham Trent University, Tikolo’s standout collection, Urembo wa Pwani Swahili for The Beauty of the Coast, is also in contention for the People’s Choice Award.

Emerging Kenyan fashion designer Nicole Tikolo, a student at Nottingham Trent University, has achieved finalist status in the Womenswear Design category at the 2025 Fashanne Awards in the UK.#nairobifashionhub

— Nairobi Fashion Hub (@nairobifashionhub.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T14:08:37.509Z

Inspired by her Taita heritage and childhood memories of Kenya’s coastal towns, the collection is a vivid celebration of African femininity. It features flowing silhouettes and original prints that incorporate iconic elements like madafu (coconuts) and the Taita White-eye bird, paired with breezy fabrics that evoke the essence of Diani and Lamu.

“I design for women who want to feel beautiful, confident, and seen,” Tikolo shares. “This collection is rooted in my story, my heritage, and a deep belief that African fashion can be both globally relevant and proudly local.”

Tikolo is rallying support from Kenyans, East Africans, the global diaspora, and advocates of inclusive fashion to vote for entry #62 in the People’s Choice category, a move that could propel her vision onto an even larger platform.

Her collection, Urembo wa Pwani (“The Beauty of the Coast”), draws inspiration from her Taita heritage & childhood visits to the Kenyan coastline.The line features flowing silhouettes, bespoke prints of madafu (coconuts) & the Taita White Eye bird, & fabrics that evoke the breezes of Diani and Lamu

— Nairobi Fashion Hub (@nairobifashionhub.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T14:11:55.580Z

Her journey reflects a powerful shift in fashion’s global narrative one where African identity, body positivity, and storytelling converge. Influenced by boundary-pushing designers like Andrea Iyamah, Kim Dave, and Banke Kuku, Tikolo’s work embraces wearable volume, intentional printwork, and precise tailoring to honor the curves, colors, and cultural richness of African women.

“This nomination isn’t just about me,” she says. “It’s about showing the world what Kenya has to offer about telling stories with fabric and celebrating the coastlines, curves, and creativity of African women.”

The Fashanne Awards ceremony, celebrating innovation among UK-based fashion students, will announce the People’s Choice Award winner on June 26, 2025.

Tikolo’s designs celebrate curvy women through wearable volume, precise tailoring, and intentional printwork. Influenced by visionary African designers like Andrea Iyamah, Kim Dave, and Banke Kuku, her work weaves cultural storytelling into global-relevant fashion

— Nairobi Fashion Hub (@nairobifashionhub.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T14:15:20.796Z

As Tikolo stands poised to leave her mark on the global stage, she joins a new generation of African designers redefining beauty, representation, and identity in fashion.

Content courtesy of NFH Digital.