Thursday 7th of May 2026

Nairobi, Kenya

Tag: African Fashion

Zambian Fashion Designer Juliet Mayida Jacobs nominated for three awards at this year’s Designers Award Africa.

Posted on by Fashion Police

Zambian Fashion Designer Juliet Mayida Jacobs of Interfashional Africa has been nominated for three (3) awards at this year’s Designers Award Africa.

  1. African Fashion Brand of the Year
  2. African Female Designer of the Year
  3. African Fashion Stylist of the Year Female.

Juliet Mayida Jacobs is former runway model, international pageant judge, Last year’s Zambia fashion week challenge winner and she recently showcased at this year’s Lusaka July in September.

Voting for Designers Award Africa starts on the 27th of September and will close on the 26th of October 2020. – You can vote here Elfrique

Content courtesy of Mwebantu & Nairobi fashion hub 

Vivacom partners with Fashion TV International Fashion And Lifestyle Broadcasting Television Channel

Posted on by Fashion Police

The Bulgarian incumbent telco Vivacom has entered into an agreement with Fashion TV to distribute the channel on pay-TV platforms across Africa on Eutelsat 8W.

Fashion TV was launched in France in 1997 and is currently distributed worldwide on over 50 satellites, cable and IP networks, for Fashion TV Africa, it is adding blocks which focus on African fashions and lifestyles.

Commenting on the development, Vladimir Rangelov, senior manager broadcasting service at Vivacom, said: “We’re pleased to add Fashion TV channel on our 8W MCPC platform, extending their coverage to African TV market”.

FashionTV is an international fashion and lifestyle broadcasting television channel. Founded in France in 1997, by its Polish-born president Michel Adam Lisowski, FashionTV is a widely distributed satellite channels in the world with 31 satellite and 2,000 cable systems. As of 2014, it had 400 million viewers around the world, including 80 million in Arab countries.

FashionTV is a multi-media platform offering a review of global fashion and is independently owned and operated from the headquarters in Paris, London and Vienna.

Content courtesy of Broad Band Tv News & Nairobi fashion hub 

New Home for SA fashion Week at Mall of Africa

Posted on by Fashion Police

Mall of Africa is the new host of SA Fashion Week and has also welcomed the opening of Koop Studio, a new retail hub that showcases the work of local fashion designers.

Koop Studio is a collaborative venture between seasoned retailer Sandy Rogers and industry stalwart, Lucilla Booyzen, who has been spearheading the development of local design culture as director of South African Fashion Week for the past 23 years.

Located on the shopping centre’s upper level close to Town Square, the new retail space will carry at least 12 collections at any time, which will be interchanged regularly to ensure ongoing variety.

The brands available from Koop Studio include: Ezokheto by Mpumelelo Dhlamini; Dolz by Thabiso Molelekoa; Dope Motherhood by Nqobile Mhlongo; Bi Parel by Shaylene Morris; BLVNK by Neo Rangaka; There and Back by Nicola Valentine and Pilani Bubu; Yung Blood Apparel by Kabelo Legodi; Mekhukhu by Botshelo Molete; Lunar by Nicola Luther; BB Dolls by Beryl Dingemans and Bianca Tanchal; FANthesi by Mike Ubisse; Beryl Dingemans by Beryl Dingemans; Moraka Interiors by Lethabo Cleo Moraka; Watermelon Social Club by Sthembiso Mchunu, Siyabonga Ngcamu and Khayelihle Hadebe; Melomalism by Sinthemba Mthethwa; and Pret-a-Perfect and The Design Innovation by Sandy Rogers.

Broadening access to market
According to Rogers, this highly visible retail presence in the centre of a popular mall will allow the young entrepreneurs to fast-track their brands.

“One of the greatest impediments to the development of a local fashion culture has been the prohibitively high rental costs in major regional centres such as Mall of Africa. By necessity, young designers are typically in studios off the beaten track without access to target markets who could afford to support them,” she says.

The Mall of Africa retail hub is an extension of the Koop Studio in Victoria Yards in Johannesburg led by Rogers. The Victoria Yards studio facilitates the design and product development process from concept to customer for its clients, and is also available to young designers as a workspace for their own brands as well as to get involved with Koop Studio projects and clients.

A modern showroom, Wi-Fi, workspace, cutting tables, access to pattern makers and sampling facilities, as well as manufacturing capabilities with Koop Studio’s manufacturing arm, The Faktory, are all available to designers under one roof in Victoria Yards.

“Koop Studio and The Faktory, where we design and manufacture, are fortunate to operate from the new Victoria Yards semi-industrial development in Lorentzville. This is an incredibly beautiful environment to work in but does not have any real retail footprint. A presence in the Mall of Africa will undoubtedly be a game changer for all these startups and the development of local fashion,” says Rogers.

MaXhosa success
According to Michael Clampett, head of asset and property management-retail of Attacq Limited, the owners of Mall of Africa, the launch of Koop Studio follows on the heels of the enormous success that designer Laduma Ngxokolo has experienced with his MaXhosa knitwear since opening a small store on the mall’s lower level in 2018.

Within a year, the growing appetite for Ngxokolo’s signature Xhosa-inspired modern knits meant the brand had to relocate to a much larger flagship store on the upper level and Ngxokolo became one of the centre’s high profile brand ambassadors.

“Mall of Africa is firmly on track to become the continent’s premier destination for top local design. MaXhosa’s success confirmed our conviction that consumers are increasingly wanting to express a contemporary, yet uniquely African fashion identity. This, and the fact that we are acutely aware of the need to stimulate the local economy, and local job creation, lies at the heart of our strategy,” he explains.

SAFW kicks off in October
In line with tailoring its merchandise mix to support local brands, Mall of Africa has also recently become SAFW’s new host. The three-year partnership will kick-off in October with the staging of South Africa’s first hybrid designer collections showcase.

Twenty-six runway shows featuring collections shot at different locations in the mall will be streamed digitally over three days from 22 to 24 October.

This will be followed by the SAFW Trade Show from from 1 to 3 November in the mall’s Crystal Court with more than fifty designers of menswear, womenswear and accessories, and the SAFW Pop Up Shop where fashion lovers will be able to interact and buy directly from all the participating designers from 27 to 29 November, also in the Crystal Court.

Content courtesy of Biz Community & Nairobi fashion hub

Tshego Manche from a small town of Klerksdorp with Big Dreams For African Fashion

Posted on by Fashion Police

Tshego Manche grew up in Klerksdorp and found sartorial visibility in big city Johannesburg, Born in Klerksdorp, a small town in the North West Province of South Africa, Tshego Manche was raised in a business-oriented family.

Her parents owned a salon and cosmetic store in the township for over 20 years before venturing into other businesses.

“Coming from that environment, I already knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” says the 30-year-old fashionista today. “I aimed for what I am passionate about. Growing up, I always said I am a small town girl with big city dreams.”

Manche, known for her sartorial sense among friends, studied for a BCom degree in Marketing Management and whilst in varsity, worked at Pulsate, a fashion store in Africa’s richest square mile, Sandton, in Johannesburg.

“Two weeks after being employed, the owner flew down and said he had to meet me as there was a spike in sales. I was never afraid to approach people and tell them about the store, and also interact with customers. I then learned customer and marketing skills, and developed a deeper love for fashion which led me to want to start my own brand,” says Manche.

La Manche clothing was registered in early 2012 and was ready to put the all the theory into practice. Manche dropped out of varsity during her third year and went on to start selling on a small scale to friends and family, and she opened her physical store end of 2012.

Her mother contributed immensely to her startup and invested in clothing, packaging, and also paid for her flights and accommodation to look for stock in China and Turkey. The brand started growing. In 2014, she employed three workers, teamed up with stylists and magazine editors and the brand grew with sales doubling, she says.

“In 2015, we hit our million mark [offering local and international clothing]. From 2016 onwards, we hit a decline in sales as new entrants in the market came; rental for my space was also high and the location remote.

In 2017, I started 100% custom-making; growth had been slow yet steady and I had nine employees by the end of 2019. I decided to close my physical store in April 2019 and stay with one employee. Now in 2020, we are focusing solely on the online space we have rebranded and restructured.”

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The coronavirus also had an impact on business but this has taught her that digitizing the business is the best way to go. She also took to social media, encouraging other entrepreneurs during the tough times.

“I invited different people from different industries to come talk to people and engage about entrepreneurship every Monday for 10 weeks. We had one livestream with over 10,000 viewers,” says Manche.

Who would have thought a small town girl would encourage entrepreneurs in a big city to keep pushing ahead in the hard times.

Content courtesy of Forbes Africa  & Nairobi fashion hub 

Afro Fashion Week Milan Forges Ties with CNMI, White Milano

Posted on by Ann Mumbi

African Fashion Marking its fifth anniversary, Afro Fashion Week Milan is expanding its reach — a sign of the multicultural bent the city has embraced.

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Organized by Afro Fashion, an Italy-based nonprofit organization that has been actively promoting the African continent’s designers and creative talents over the past five years, the showcase will encompass a range of fashion shows, entirely digital or livestreamed, talks and even a couple of high-scale partnerships with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and White Milano.

From Sept. 24 to 27 a range of digital shows, panel discussions and exhibitions will shine a light on African fashion talents.

“It’s been a complicated year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and also in the wake of the Black Lives Matter [movement] which has resonated and drawn attention not only in the U.S., but internationally,” said Michelle Francine Ngonmo, president of Afro Fashion during a virtual press conference Tuesday.

Running Sept. 24 to 27, at the same time as Milan Fashion Week, Afro Fashion Week Milan will host on the association’s online platform a range of fashion showcases from Emeka Suits, a Kenyan green label founded by Sydney Nwakanma, Frida-Kiza, helmed by Burundi-born, Italy-based Fabiola Manirakiza, swimwear label Other Couture, launched by Mozambique-born Helena de Jesus; Otinguema, run by Gabonese designer Jessica Nguema-Metoule, and the collective display of works from students at Cameroon’s LABA Douala, or Libre Académie des Beaux-arts.

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The virtual shows will be flanked by panel discussions and talks spanning different topics, such as D&I in fashion, hosted by Stella Jean and Edward Buchanan; Fashion for Empowerment, analyzing how fashion can serve as a lever for economic and social development for the African continent, as well as a spotlight on leading fashion schools where African students are stretching their muscles.

In addition, the Afro Fashion organization has helped Stella Jean and Edward Buchanan, as well as the Black Lives Matter in Italian Fashion Collective, select the “The Fab Five Bridge Builders,” such as the five designers that will present the “We Are Made in Italy” project as part of Italy’s Camera della Moda official Milan Fashion Week calendar.

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As reported, the digital event spotlighting the five Black-owned Made in Italy businesses will take place on Sept. 27.

Centered on the “Exquisite Beauty” theme, which Ngonmo describes as a celebration of beauty in all its forms, Afro Fashion Week Milan has also forged ties with White Milano, which will host a special exhibition dedicated to Afro-Italian fashion throughout the four-day event.

Content courtesy of WWD & Nairobi fashion hub 

Bubu Ogisi The designer choosing pan-African pride over Western attention

Posted on by Fashion Police

Bubu Ogisi is making African fashion in Africa for Africans. The Nigerian creative director, stylist and the designer behind the label IAMISIGO, Ogisi is committed to celebrating African philosophies, fabrics and techniques. She and her close-knit teams of artisans have created a label which breaks many of the “rules” about what African brands are and should be.

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Not interested in capturing Western audiences or selling big, IAMISIGO’s work is focused on using fashion to tell the colorful and complicated story of Africa’s history, present and future.

“In 100 years, what will our descendants reference about us?” Ogisi said over the phone. “Are they going to be referencing Western pieces that we tried to Africanize, or this new age of African design that was able to bring the continent together? That’s my long-term goal.”

And it’s a goal she has been working towards for quite some time. After leaving Nigeria to study computer science in Ghana, Ogisi began to become aware of the complexity of West African style. Noticing the difference in aesthetics, body shapes, fabrics and styling between Ghana and her home country, Ogisi realised that she could use her lifelong interest in clothing to showcase the diversity of Africa.

Not one to rest on intuition and talent alone, Ogisi studied fashion at the Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Technique de la Mode (ESMOD) in Paris. Having mastered the technical elements of fashion, IAMISIGO was born in 2009. The label’s name combines the words “I AM” with Ogisi’s surname stylized in the reverse — a nod to the fact that the label is Ogisi’s stamp on the world.

She has since showcased collections at Paris and London fashion weeks, been featured in British Vogue and had one of her garments handpicked by supermodel Naomi Campbell. But the mission has not shifted. Despite an increase in international interest, Ogisi is clear about what she is (and isn’t trying) to do with the brand.

“I’ve had offers from China and Italy and all over; people who want to buy my designs and mass produce them. I’m not interested in that,” she said. “I spend time with old men in villages who pass on their weaving craft to their grandchildren, because that is the only way the skills will survive”.

This dedication to locally focused craftsmanship and materials shows itself in each of her garments. Operating between studios in Lagos, Accra and Nairobi, regular road trips to source materials and learn new skills are crucial to Ogisi’s creative process. Her most recent collection, Chasing Evil, makes use of palm leaf from the Congo, which she transported cross-continent in bags filled with sand to preserve the delicate material. She says that some of the garments require an intricate weaving process, which she said can take up to a full day to complete.

For Chasing Evil, Ogisi enlisted Kenyan master jeweler Brian Kivuti to create once-off pieces to accompany her apparel. Where appropriate the designs make use of secondhand fabrics and accessories, where making or buying a new item would have meant unnecessary waste. The collection also makes use of Ugandan unbleached cotton as a staple material. The name of collection was chosen to reflect this return to African pride,

“The only way to chase evil is through unity across borders and truly believing in the works of our hands,” Ogisi said.

While her pro-Africa outlook is by no means novel in the world of fashion, the commitment to applying it to all elements of the label is part of a shift in approach taken by African designers. Like the LVMH Prize 2019 winner, South African Thebe Magugu, who continues to operate from his inner-city Johannesburg studio, Ogisi recognizes that being accepted by the Western fashion world does not necessarily mean that she should take her sights off the many markets across the continent.

“I want to see my clothes on women in Nairobi, Cape Town, Lagos, Accra,” she said. “I want these women to feel that somebody understood their history and their bodies and the lives they lead. Every piece is a love letter to them, and to my continent.”

IAMISIGO represents the hope of a self-affirming, self-sufficient Africa. While fashion is often dismissed as frivolous, or separate from “real issues,” Ogisi proves that politics is everywhere: in the products we consume, in the people with whom we work and even the clothes we wear.

Content courtesy of CNN & Nairobi fashion hub  

Industrie Africa New Shopping Site Makes It Easy to Discover African Fashion Brands

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

Returning home to Dar Es Salaam with a global fashion pedigree two degrees from the Parsons School of Design and stints at Vogue in New York and Vogue India in Mumbai Nisha Kanabar took stock of how disjointed access to high-end African fashion was.

“Coming from the media industry, not having this clear, cohesive point of education about the industry and access to the market was jarring,” she says. This led her to create Industrie Africa in 2018, a platform highlighting some of the continent’s premiere luxury fashion brands. While it was a well-designed resource for fashion enthusiasts to learn about designers they might have otherwise spent hours scouring Instagram for, one key component was missing: shopping.

A glossy revamp this summer means users can now browse and buy everything from AAKS totes from Ghana and Kikoromeo jumpsuits from Kenya to Pichulik earrings from South Africa, all in one digital showroom. The new site also features an editorial component, Imprint, for which Kanabar teamed up with Natasha Nyanin, a New York-based writer and creative consultant. We spoke with the duo to learn more about their vision for bringing a wide-reaching African fashion experience to curious shoppers around the globe.

Nisha, what inspired you to start Industrie Africa?

Nisha Kanabar: I wanted to address misconceptions and shatter the stereotypical exoticized impressions of what African design really is. We’re building this 360-degree hub of contemporary African fashion: a place of commerce, a place of content, and a place of community. We’re able to weave context through the shopping process.

Natasha, what drew you to what Nisha was creating?

Natasha Nyanin : I am a global citizen, I am a traveler, and I’m someone who lives a borderless existence but I’m also from Ghana, and I’m passionate about sharing African stories. The paramount thing was to capture a diverse set of voices from as many corners of the continent as possible, and bringing a local perspective and understanding of fashion within a global context.

When people think about Africa they’re thinking about Black people, but there are all sorts of people who make up Africa. It’s important to me and to Nisha she’s of Indian heritage to expand the understanding of Africa through the lens of fashion.

What do you look for in the brands you work with?

Nisha Kanabar  : There are a lot of interesting ways designers take storied techniques and bring them into 2020 through modern interpretations. Aso-Oke is a Nigerian fabric used by Shekudo based in Lagos; they mix them with leather to create contemporary and very wearable footwear. There’s a label called Nkwo in Nigeria that is inherently sustainable:

They create their own fabric called Dakala cloth through offshoots of fabric scraps, using this Japanese stripping technique. It’s super interesting how they’ve taken something that’s effectively scraps and transformed it to something innovative.

Awa Meité, based in Bamako, is quite a new kid on the block, and she’s gaining acclaim for her work with local artisans in Mali. She works with materials like Bogolan, or mudcloth, to create pieces that are quite exceptional. Ivorian designer Loza Maleombho was recently featured in Black Is King. Her signature is hand-hammered embellishments in the shape of West African masks some of Beyoncé’s pieces are held together with these beautiful buckles, with this urban glamour.

Natasha, what are some of your favorite designers on the site?

Natasha Nyanin : Emmy Kasbit is a Nigerian designer who works with an Igbo textile called akwete. It’s nice to see that fun juxtaposition of bright colors and the woven textures of the fabric breathing new life into menswear. Sidai Designs works very closely with the Maasai community in Tanzania to use Maasai beading to make contemporary jewelry. Ami Doshi Shah is based in Nairobi, and her Torque necklace and Form earrings are both quite interesting sculptural studies. Diarrablu out of Dakar does really lovely resortwear, flowy dresses, bathing suits very ethereal, diaphanous, easy dresses.

Americans might not be able to get to them for a while, but what are some of your favorite destinations on the continent for shopping?

Nisha Kanabar  : Nairobi is one of my favorite cities: It’s a little bit glam, a little bit urban, a little bit edgy, and full of character and there are a ton of interesting subcultures and artistic pockets that give it so much life. Nairobi has a diverse culinary scene, and Talisman in Karen is quite popular, very refined. I also like to check out designer ateliers like Designing Africa Collective.

Cape Town is an obvious choice but I find it super design forward. Merchants on Long, owned by Hanneli Rupert, is the original mothership of African luxury retail. And I love indulging in a mini excursion to wine country—Leeu Estates in Franschhoek is at the intersection of modernity and country charm. The art is amazing.

I think of Lagos as this glittering population against a backdrop of concrete jungle, it’s overflowing with high-energy glamour and grit. Alara, designed by David Adjaye, and Temple Muse are two luxury retail concept stores, and the visual splendor is inspiring. You’ll see Kenneth Ize beside Amina Muaddi—the merchandising is beautiful and merges western luxury with African brands.

Dar Es Salaam is not much of a shopping city, but the Green Room is a great concept store that collaborates with local designers and makers on homeware and beauty products.

Content courtesy  of Conde Nast Traveler  & Nairobi fashion hub 

South Africa Fashion Week is taking its shows to The Mall Of Africa

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

South African Fashion Week (SAFW) is back with Spring/Summer 21, and they are taking it to the Mall of Africa (MOA).

The organisation announced that owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, they’ll be moving from their home, Sandton City, to a much bigger space.

On a three-year partnership with the MOA, SA Fashion Week will stage its first hybrid designer collections showcase this year.

SAFW director Lucilla Booyzen said: “This hybrid combination of both a digital and live fashion experience allows us to navigate the complexities of trading and doing business effectively while simultaneously being mindful of the safety aspects associated with the pandemic.”

According to Booyzen, the 2020 SAFW Collections are trans-seasonal in line with international trends towards collections that incorporate both cool, and warm weather elements. They are also increasingly representing a move towards a “slow fashion” ethos of timeless design and sustainable production.

She added: “While the move towards cleaner fashion production in South Africa still faces many challenges, there is a real commitment from many designers to pursue this necessary transition to a new fashion order. The designer community is predominantly SMME’s, they all employ small contingents of artisans such as seamstresses and pattern makers. It has been a superhuman challenge for these businesses to stay afloat and retain jobs in the absence of any trade or cash flow. This opportunity to showcase their collections in preparation for summer is vital.”

SAFW SS21 starts on October 22 with Gert-Johan Coetzee’s show.

Content courtesy of SA fashion week & Nairobi fashion hub

Jamaican-born acclaimed fashion designer returns to Ghana

Posted on by Fashion Police

New York-based, Jamaican-born, international fashion designer Glenroy March and his fashion brand D’Marsh Couture is set to make a return to Ghana for a three-month long project D’Marsh Ghana 2020.

This is the designer’s third time to the Ghana following previous visits to participate in Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Accra and Bryte Africa Fashion Week.

While in Ghana, March said he will be based in Accra for the duration of the project, which comprises a masterclass, model development workshops, and culminate with the Face of D’Marsh Model Competition.

For the masterclass, the independent designer said he will draw on his more than 17 years of experience in the industry to assist other young and upcoming designers and brands expand.

“The class will be intimate, interactive and purposeful,” March said, adding that he will take participants behind the scenes, sharing his personal industry experiences about navigating the pros and cons, the failures and the successes, and the lessons learned throughout his journey.

“The Face of D’Marsh Model Competition wraps up the three-month project and will be used to identify a young male and female model that can represent the brand internationally, and be used as a platform to expose them to the global market,” March said.

“Like most industries, the pandemic has forced them to rethink their business strategy and, as an independent designer, I had to pivot quickly to figure out a way to ensure the brand remains sustainable and continues to grow,” March added. “With that in mind, I sought to leverage my relationships in Ghana to undertake this project which is in keeping with our vision of making the brand’s presence stronger in the international market.”

March said Ghana holds a special place in his heart as his previous collection, “Sankofa by D’Marsh”, Fall 2018/2019, was inspired by one of his visits.

He said that undertaking such a project at this time has not been without its challenges, but is looking forward to the experience.

“I hope to learn a lot from this visit and get to understand the international market and what is required to grow and promote an independent brand in the African market,” March said.

“I will get the opportunity to meet with logistics partners and determine how I will be better able to position the brand to explore the global market,” he added.

Content courtesy of Caribbean Life News & Nairobi fashion hub 

Fabric Map of Africa By Mia Kora

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Fabric map of Africa celebrating the richness of this beautiful continent through Mia Kora work and passion where art meets fashion.

Mia kora is a range of luxury scarves and shawls centered around the concept of bringing art into your everyday lives. Artwork and designs originally done by priya shah, mia kora now has a portfolio of artists joining the team to help create an art inspired fashion trend!
The team has expanded now to 25 graphic designers working in house, agents in Africa and Australia, collaborations with various design companies who share our passion for conservation and a great team on the factory floor who help bring Mia Kora designs to life.

I’m honoured and humbled at the impact this map has had, and how it has evoked a range of strong opinions. This map was born during lock down. It was created as a mood board to inspire my next collection based on my love of African textiles and patterns.

It took time to evolve, and I was constantly editing images until it was aesthetically pleasing and showed a range of fabrics. The map is a visual representation of the richness and beauty of African fabrics. It is an artistic reflection. Art sees no political boundaries, cast, religion or gender. Art in its truest form speaks across all barriers and lines. The map’s aim is to spread positivity and joy.
My dearest hope, as an African, is that this map raises worldwide appreciation and acknowledgment of African textiles and its high standing in influencing fashion and art.

Mia Kora Conservation

As life itself has been the very source of inspiration for Mia Kora’s collections, they have joined the worldwide movement to protect Africa’s elephants. By wearing one of Mia Kora ‘iconic elephants’ scarves, come together with them towards this cause.

Their latest collection is a tribute to the conservation efforts of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. Alongside the other Artists who support this cause, they have designed scarves and shawls that are not only starting a new trend, but have a purpose. Mia Kora is also proud to be associated with Ol Pejeta Conservancy, helping raise funds through our scarves and paintings.

Content courtesy of Mia Kora 

Mia Kora Inspired with Conservation Conscience and Fashion Sense

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Where Art Meets Fashion

MIA KORA (100 Gold Coins) is a collection of scarves and shawls that is centered around the concept of WEARABLE ART.

Some of Mia Kora scarves collections.

A collection of scarves and shawls bridging the gap between art and fashion.

Originally inspired solely by Artist and Mia Kora founder Priya Shah’s artwork, we now have a growing portfolio of talented Artists and designers whose diverse work keeps our collections unique, creating on-trend surface patterns and collections every season.

Priya graduated with a degree in Textiles but started off her career working in a Bronze foundry where she got to experience both 2D and 3D art. She started painting full time and worked as a freelance artist for about 12 years before going back full circle and heading back to her first love… fabric!

Painting A New Trend

Putting her artwork onto beautiful fabrics and wearing them became an addiction. Her paintings and designs adorn Scarves, Shawls, Soft furnishings, Sarees, Wall paper and much more!

Not one to work within boundaries and limitations, Mia Kora has now branched out to being a full scale fabric production house offering digital printing on a variety of fabrics for the Fashion, Art and Interior industries. We are able to offer a wide range of fabrics from synthetic to natural fibres to suit all kinds of creative ventures.

(More information on DIGITAL PRINTING visit Mai Kora website Here).

“I felt restricted with paintings being hung up, with this concept and my training in textiles I could bring them more to life by being able to wear my work and wrap myself in my own comfort bubble.” Priya

Mia Kora Conservation

Born and brought up in Kenya where the wildlife, flora and fauna has become a part of her being, it was natural to become protective of her surrounding ecosystem.  Mia Kora has introduced a charity collection where between 40% – 100% of the profits go towards selected organisations.

Currently we are working with and been a part of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (UK), Ol Pejeta Conservancy (Kenya), Helping Rhinos (UK), Tofauti Foundation (UK), Anne Kent Taylor Fund (Kenya), Heed India (INDIA) as well as the Amboseli Trust for Elephants (Kenya) which has become one of our favorite wildlife conservation projects. Alongside wildlife projects we are now working with local communities, especially women from marginalized communities, providing them with healthcare essentials and education.

For more details on any of our conservation projects please feel free to get in touch with Mia Kora.

London Mia Kora +44 7895711331 info@miakora.com, Kenya Bansi Shah +254733782788 bansi@miakora.com, Tanzania / south Africa Kiran Ahluwalia +254722523966 runninwild@iconnect.co.ke, Australia Neha Shah +61 435 596 630 shahnb01@gmail.com

Stockists

Zoophoria – UK
Trentham Shopping Village, Trentham Estate, Staffordshire,ST4 8AX, UK

Tel: +44 7503 15644

Watlings Gallery – UK
15 East Street, Lacock, Wiltshire SN15 2LF, UK

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) – UK
Saba House, 7 Kings Road, Shalford, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 8JU, UK

Tel: +44 1483 272323

Giraffe Manor – Nairobi (Kenya)
Gogo Falls Road, Nairobi

Solio Lodge – Laikipia (Kenya)
The Safari Collection

Le Sport Boutique – St Lucia
Body Holiday, Cariblue Beach, Castries, St Lucia, west Indies

Rendezvous Boutique – St Lucia
The Landings, St Lucia, west Indies

Emara by Ole Sereni – Kenya
Mombasa Road, Nairobi

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge – Tanzania
Lake Manyara tree Lodge – Tanzania

Bateleur Camp – Maasai Mara, Kenya

Kichwa Tembo – Maasai Mara, Kenya

Content courtesy of Mia Kora 

Cardi B Is the New Face of Balenciaga Billboard

Posted on by Fashion Police

Only a few weeks after Cardi B released her bold and empowering new hit song “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion, the rap sensation has managed to top herself once again.

Today, Cardi took to her Twitter account to share the news that she is now the face of Balenciaga’s latest ad campaign for the winter 2020 season. Shot and styled by Cardi B’s team in her home in L.A., the  imagery features the rapper wearing a black catsuit-dress hybrid from creative director Demna Gvasalia’s fall 2020 collection.

Cardi is lying on what appears to be an astro-turf surface, surrounded by a slide and kids toys, as well as Balenciaga’s Neo Classic bag in white.

On Instagram, the rapper also shared an image of a giant billboard featuring the new campaign, which is being displayed on the side of the Louvre museum in Paris. In her caption, she wrote that she remembers how it felt to see herself on a billboard in Times Square for the first time but, in her words, “PARIS! Wish I was there to see it in person.”

This is Cardi’s first campaign for a luxury fashion house, though she’s definitely no stranger to the Parisian style scene. In the last few years, Cardi has become a front row fixture at shows including Chanel, Tom Ford, and Thom Browne. Her street style swagger during fashion month has also gone viral: Remember when she wore a floral printed Richard Quinn ensemble that literally covered her from head to toe?

She and her stylist Kollin Carter have been wildly successful in carving out a much-needed space for Cardi within the fashion industry, and they’ve cultivated a personal style that is all her own while being inspiring to all. To say that she is deserving of this new Balenciaga campaign is an understatement.

Cardi is the risk-taking, unapologetic sartorial muse we all need right now, whether she’s showing us the power of the WAP or making her mark on European fashion, from the side of one of the most famous buildings in the world.

Content courtesy of Vogue Magazine & Nairobi fashion hub 

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