Saturday 14th of November 2026

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Tag: Fashionista

Top 10 Black Fashion Designers: The Most Fashionable African American Designers

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

African attire is lively, life-affirming, and colorful. There are so many things to adore about fashion from this area of the world, and the fabrics made in Africa can be turned into almost any type of garment.

African American fashion designers are bringing a sense of life and vibrancy to other regions of the world through brilliant colors and attractive patterns. Many minorities’ voices would be suppressed and unheard if African American designers were not there.

Items like this African print Tunic are exactly what you’d expect from the top African American designers, and you’ll appreciate having this much color and flair in one piece of apparel.

D’IYANU African dress is akin to sending a statement out into the world. You must continue reading if you want to learn more about the most fashionable African American designers.

1. Kerby Jean-Raymond

Kerby Jean-Raymond is the creative force of Pyer Moss in New York. Jean-Raymond creates fabrics and apparel that use showmanship and innovation to discuss the black American experience.

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Jean-Raymond draws on his Haitian-American roots to create vibrant and unique apparel that makes a statement about social issues and the history of minorities all over the world. The capacity of African American designers to create their brands for generations has been harmed by cultural appropriation and other concerns.

All of this experience, as well as the true nature of what it means to design for minorities today, is discussed by Jean-Raymond.

With this work in film, street art, and fashion, Jean-Raymond has brought attention to societal issues that affect African Americans and has made references to the Black Lives Matter movements.

Jean-Raymond was just chosen the global director of Reebok, and he will continue to use this media, as well as his other creative endeavors, to bring the voice of African Americans to fashion.

2. Aurora James

Aurora James is the creative director and founder of the fashion label Brother Vellies. This brand is dedicated to preserving and sharing indigenous African design principles and techniques with the rest of the globe.
James has worked in the fashion, media, art, and photography industries.

All of these abilities come together to create the unique and moving apparel that James is known for.
James is also concerned in supporting the ingenuity behind African designs and their style by generating and sustaining handmade jobs.

James’ efforts to combine sustainability with fashion design in her work are unique and special in the fashion world.

If you’re looking to invest in African culture and the voices of African Americans, this is the brand to go with.

James’ brand is usually associated with celebrities such as Beyonce, Meghan Markle, Serena Williams, and others. The brand’s mission is to make one-of-a-kind fashion goods that spread the African design message over the world.

James has a very unique and meticulous attention to detail, and her work is transforming how people around the world perceive African culture and fashion.

3. Dapper Dan

Daniel Day’s socially minded brand, Dapper Dan, is his creation. Since 1982, Daniel Day has owned and maintained this store, and he has worked with a wide range of celebrities, including Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, and Jay-Z.

Daniel has also collaborated with Gucci to produce a fashion brand, and he has made a name for Harlem fashion around the world. Harlem has always had its own distinct sense of style, and there is no shortage of incredible inspiration in this Harlem-inspired apparel collection.

Dapper Dan is the fashion world’s voice for Harlem, and the business aims to make an impact in the areas of poverty reduction, crime prevention, and spiritual enlightenment.

This is a brand that is inspired by everyone who has struggled to overcome social injustice, as well as those who have been told that their culture is irrelevant and that they have no right to speak up.

Day’s personal life has been marred by sorrow and hardship, and his voice and vision, which tell the experience of African Americans through the centuries, communicate to everyone in the globe.

4. Carly Cushnie

Carly Cushnie is one half of the Cushnie design house’s founding team. Knitwear, tailored corporate clothes, and elegant and attractive female clothing were all celebrated by this brand.
Michelle Obama, the Kardashians, and Blake Lively have all been photographed wearing Cushnie.

This is a company that honors both the African-American experience and women’s empowerment.

Due to the pandemic’s impact on retail enterprises, Cushnie was forced to close its doors in late 2020.
That isn’t to say Carly hasn’t continued to design clothing and advocate for women’s and minorities’ rights.

Cushnie’s voice will not be hushed, and her talent and ability to create designs that allow women to embrace their femininity without compromise will continue to fuel her efforts in the fashion world.

5. Romeo Hunte

Romeo Hunte has his own lifestyle business that he runs and designs. This is a New York-based company that aims to develop both simple and complicated style.
Hunte started out as a buyer and personal shopper in the fashion industry.

As a result, he realized the need for a street-style brand that reflected African-American history and experience.

Hunte is constantly developing and curating his brand, with the goal of creating timeless styling. This is a free-spirited brand that clothes clients for black-tie events as well as casual daywear for work or lounging around.

Hunte’s designs have such a strong voice, and the brand’s colors, design choices, and styling vary and evolve with the social fabric of the United States.

Check out Romeo Hunte’s work if you’re looking for clothing that speaks to the heart while still creating a bold style statement. There are few brands that manage to be both edgy and restrained, and this brand’s careful balancing act of social commitment and style awareness is truly unique.

6. Laquan Smith

Laquan Smith had a successful year in 2021, with several celebrities wearing his designs on the red carpet. From celebs like Ciara, who look great in every outfit, to many accolades and magazine covers, there’s something for everyone.
Laquan Smith is a talented Black fashion designer to watch in 2022.

As a child, Laquan Smith observed his grandma and many other female role models.
His family sent him to art school in high school, and it was a life-changing event for him. He was turned down by FIT and Parsons when attempting to break into the industry.
Laquan e established a company called “LaQuan Smith 3D Leggings” and became known as the “leggings” person.

Things ‘took off’ once he modeled them, handed them around, and celebrities began to wear them.
Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Kim Kardashian were all early fans of his unique work, which piqued the curiosity of fashion icons and risk takers.

The company has received acclaim for its never-ending archive of unique clothing and details since its formal launch in 2013. Smith has developed a thriving private order clientele that stretches from Lagos to London.

7. Christopher John Rogers

It’s simple to see why Christopher John Rogers is one of fashion’s most fascinating new names. The designer’s voluminous designs, crisp tailoring, and unashamed use of color have already garnered him a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award and a legion of followers, including Zendaya, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Michelle Obama, after founding his eponymous label only a few seasons ago.

Rogers got the best of the year early after designing the much-discussed purple inauguration coat for Vice President Kamala Harris. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awarded Rogers the “American Womenswear Designer of the Year” honor, and his beautiful designs clearly speak for themselves.

Rogers’ high-end collections, which may sell for hundreds of dollars, are recognized for being vivid, flamboyant, and monochromatic.
He also has a Target limited-edition brand, Lime green, amber orange, and teal blue are among his favorite hues.

“One of my favorite tales is about a friend who was recently wearing a sweater I designed a few seasons ago. And it was just a striped, color-box jumper, to be honest “He was willing to share. “And I assumed it was nothing out of the ordinary, something I’d always wanted to witness.

“However, she stated that she had never received as many praises from any other piece of clothes in her life.

And I guess what I like about what I do is the way we use color and apply it to something that feels very practical.”
Rogers’ artistic vision has made him one of New York City’s most sought-after designers.
His climb to the top, however, has not been simple.

8. Jason Rembert

Jason Rembert, a celebrity stylist based in New York, has styled a slew of superstars on the red carpet and on magazine covers over the years.

Zendaya was photographed in one of his captivating designs for her Netflix feature, Malcolm & Marie, earlier this year, and his luxury fashion label, Aliétte, exploded.
John Boyega, Rita Ora, Issa Rae, Winnie Harlow, Michael B. Jordan, and Odell Beckham JR. are among his celebrity clients.

Vogue, L’Officiel, Paper, Essential Homme, GQ UK, Sports Illustrated, Variety, New York Times, and Billboard Magazine have featured Rembert’s work, as well as major campaigns for Samsung, Adidas, Moncler, Penshoppe, Giuseppe, and Google.

Rembert is noted for his ability to combine classic sensibilities with current components, a unique technique that gives his editorial, celebrity, and advertising collaborations a fresh perspective.

Jason Rembert was nominated Stylist of the Year at the 2018 Harlem Fashion Row Awards, in addition to being recognized to The Hollywood Reporter’s “Most Powerful Stylist of the Year” list.

9. Fe Noel

Big things usually start small, and Fe Noel was no exception. What began as a tiny experiment in Brooklyn has grown into a globally famous brand.

Noel’s creative and airy outfits have graced the silhouettes of powerful women like Beyonce and Michelle Obama. Some attribute Noel’s toughness and creativity to her New York and Grenadian roots, but we attribute it to her tenacity and creativity.

Fe Noel is a womenswear designer from Brooklyn, New York, who is inspired by travel, brilliant colors, and strong prints. She began her career at the age of 19, when she opened a brick-and-mortar boutique in Brooklyn for vintage enthusiasts and trendsetters.

That boutique sparked her ambition to help women embrace their femininity, which led to the creation of her namesake clothing and lifestyle fashion business, ‘Fe Noel.’

Fe Noel is a womenswear designer from Brooklyn, New York, who is inspired by travel, brilliant colors, and strong prints. She began her career at the age of 19, when she opened a brick-and-mortar boutique in Brooklyn for vintage enthusiasts and trendsetters.

That boutique sparked her ambition to help women embrace their femininity, which led to the creation of her namesake clothing and lifestyle fashion business, ‘Fe Noel.’

Fe’s Caribbean ancestry and large, close-knit family have had a big influence on her. She regards her mother and grandmother in particular in great regard, crediting them with demonstrating what hard work, determination, and humble hearts can achieve.

She enjoys assisting other young women start their own businesses in addition to creating, which she is able to do through the Fe Noel Foundation, a program for young girls who are interested in entrepreneurship.

10. Savage x Fenty

Business tycoon Savage x Fenty Think of Rihanna’s Midas touch: she constantly trying her hand at new entrepreneurial initiatives and blowing them up into empires.
Rihanna introduced a lingerie collection in addition to her Fenty cosmetics line, and it has been a huge success.

We may not know what’s next for Rihanna, but we do know that there’s no room for downward as long as Savage x Fenty continues to incorporate diversity into every creation.

The lingerie industry has been shaken, and sexy has been redefined, thanks to Savage X Fenty. The company encourages fearlessness, confidence, and inclusivity with affordable pricing ranges and a wide range of fashion-forward styles.
Savage X Fenty has something for every mood, vibe, and BODY, from everyday essentials to daring pieces.

“We want to make people look and feel beautiful,” Rihanna says, explaining that she approaches Savage X with the same mindset she applies to all of her projects: to create something new and fresh that everyone can relate to and be confident in.
“We want you to feel sexy while having a good time doing it.” Savage X Fenty has underwear for every mood, with everything from everyday necessities to more provocative items.

 

African American fashion is one-of-a-kind, These designers are always pushing the boundaries in order to create designs that effectively express the African American experience in the United States and around the world.

The challenges that affect African Americans are important enough for everyone to care about. Every design created by African American fashion artists is based on social justice and the ability of minorities around the world to speak up for their rights.

You support distinctive voices with essential tales to tell when you invest in African American designers. African American designers in the United States provide unique, remarkable, and authentic clothes and aesthetic aspects.

If you enjoy fashion and want to ensure that minorities have the same opportunities as others, you should invest in African American fashion.
One garment at a time, these designers are transforming the world.

Content Courtesy of EDM Chicago & op 

10 African Fashion Designers Changing the World That the World Should Know

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

African fashion, like African music and art, is experiencing a global renaissance, and we’re here to witness it. International superstars such as Naomi Campbell, Zendaya, Tracee Ellis Ross, Angela Bassett, and Beyoncé, who was seen wearing African designers in the visual cinema for her award-winning album, Black Is King, have helped to bring some of the continent’s designers to the forefront.

These designers are change makers in their own right, helping to improve Africa’s developing economy, advocating for fairness and climate action, and creating a new bar for African talent, ensuring that the rest of the world understands what Africa is truly made of.

 

Africa’s fashion is adventurous and revolutionary, just like its people. Nigerian designers Adebayo Oke-Lawal and Fola Francis, for example, are pushing boundaries and challenging gender stereotypes on the continent through their work. Anifa Mvuemba, a Congolese designer, is credited with being the first to create a 3D virtual fashion show for her Hanifa line, which went viral in 2021.
Ann McCreath, the founder of the acclaimed Festival of Africa Fashion & Arts, is the organizer of Fashion Revolution Day in Kenya (FAFA) and one of the pioneer fashion designers in Kenya.

According to Statista, the garment business generated $1.5 trillion in global revenue in 2021.

This means that the fashion industry’s success in Africa can have a significant impact on the continent’s economy. With Africa having the world’s highest poverty rate, investing in the fashion industry and other areas can assist to alter the lives of those who are poor.
A growing fashion business in Africa implies greater job possibilities, development investments, and global recognition for fashion designers as well as the local tailors, craftsmen, and entrepreneurs who work with them. Many African fashion firms are currently developing programs to provide resources, contribute to social development, and empower people interested in working in the sector.

This is an excellent time to learn more about, support, and invest in the African fashion sector, given its global success and the potential for economic growth. So here are eight internationally famous African fashion firms that are also helping to address some of the world’s most pressing issues that you should be aware of, follow, and support.

1. KikoRomeo

KikoRomeo, which means “Adam’s Apple” in Kiswahili, was founded by Ann McCreath in 1996 and will be celebrating its 26th anniversary in May 2022. Over the previous two decades, it has established itself as a heritage brand, largely regarded with influencing Kenyan fashion and training designers and artists.

Wearing KikoRomeo is like being a part of an exclusive club, with recognizable distinctive items that signify a shared interest and initiate a dialogue.

KikoRomeo is committed to sustainability, employing hand-dyed and hand-carved textiles as well as hand-carved trims from the African continent to ensure that each item lasts. Cottons, linens, and silk are among the natural fibers used in our materials.

The silhouettes are effortlessly graceful and meticulously designed. Our clients consider them to be pieces of art.
KikoRomeo keeps asking us what we can wear to appear good. The unexpected blending of colors and mixed media creates individuality and richness in the textiles when viewed in paintings.

2. Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu is a luxury self-titled label created in 2016 by Thebe Magugu, a South African fashion designer.

Magugu uses clothes to tell stories about his heritage and culture while also bringing crucial topics to light. In previous collections, he has addressed sexism in South Africa, the country’s apartheid heritage, and femicide, with President Cyril Ramaphosa calling gender-based violence as “the second epidemic we are battling” in November 2020.

Magugu won the LVMH Award in 2018 and has since been featured in Paper, Another Mag, Vogue, and other international media. Magugu specializes on women’s ready-to-wear clothing.

3. Imane Ayissi

Imane Ayissi is a Cameroonian model, dancer, and fashion designer who was born in 1969 to Cameroonian parents. Ayissi was a sought-after model who walked for prominent luxury labels such as Dior, Givenchy, Valentino, YSL, and Lanvin before launching his fashion business.

Ayissi makes haute couture luxury ready-to-wear items that are inspired by civilizations from all around Africa. Ayissi is also a proponent of environmentally responsible fashion, frequently employing natural and organic materials with minimal environmental impact.

4. Anyango Mpinga

Anyango Mpinga is a cultural pioneer who promotes intersectionality as a circular fashion guiding philosophy. In 2015, she launched her own Contemporary Sustainable label, which is known for reinterpreted white shirts, colorful designs that pay homage to her multi-cultural ancestry, and size inclusive styles that are balanced between androgyny and a bohemian aesthetic.

Her ethereal designs have been shown in cities such as Tokyo, Paris, New York, London, Milan, Bangkok, and Porto, and she has garnered countless awards. Anyango is a forward-thinking designer who is experimenting with new technologies to develop biodegradable textiles.
Her campaign Free As A Human, which she founded as a social venture, addresses the humanitarian and environmental crisis caused by the fashion industry’s exploitative labor practices.

5. Hanifa

Anifa Mvuemba is a Congolese fashion designer best known for a viral 3D fashion presentation in which she blended two of her interests, fashion and technology, in an epic showcase of her brand Hanifa during the pandemic’s peak in 2021.

Anifa, founded by Mvuemba ten years ago, is noted for its appealing ready-to-wear designs for ladies of all sizes. On November 16, 2021, she had her first presentation at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., with nearly 20,000 people watching it on YouTube.

She’s also the founder of The Hanifa Dream, a program that helps women-led businesses “elevate fashion through passion, purpose, and social impact.”

6. Orange Culture

Adebayo Oke-Lawal, a Nigerian fashion designer, launched Orange Culture in 2011. Oke-beginnings Lawal’s are those of a real millennial, as he has been designing since he was 11 and self-taught via YouTube, and is now one of Africa’s most prominent designers.

Orange Culture is well recognized for their menswear, which has been worn by African superstars such as Global Citizen champion Davido, Rita Dominic, and Ice Prince, and was the first Nigerian company to have a store at Selfridges in the United Kingdom.

They provide mentorship and tools to budding fashion entrepreneurs all throughout Africa through their program, The Orange Mentorship, to help them develop their own fashion empire.

7. Christie Brown

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Aisha Ayensu, a Ghanaian fashion designer and creative director, created Christie Brown in March 2008.

The luxury label, named after Ayensu’s grandmother, creates inventive and unusual ready-to-wear clothes and accessories for women. Ayensu reimagines traditional clothes and modernizes it for today’s audience when creating for Christie Brown.

8. Tongoro

Tongoro is a ready-to-wear womenswear brand that offers playful and unusual garments. It was founded in 2016 by Sarah Diof, a lady of Senegalese, Central African, and Congolese descent.
Tongoro, based in Dakar, Senegal, sources fabrics from artisans all across Africa, and Diof makes it a point to collaborate with local tailors in order to support the economic development of African craftspeople.

9. Ahluwalia

Priye Ahluwalia, the company’s founder, was born in London to Nigerian parents and an Indian mother. She creates award-winning ready-to-wear menswear, drawing inspiration from both her Nigerian and Indian roots.

Ahluwalia won the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design the next year after being one of the beneficiaries of the renowned LMVH competition in 2020. For a majority of her designs, Ahluwalia employs old and dead-stock apparel (discontinued and vintage products that are no longer in stock).

10. Loza Maléombho

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Loza Maléombho, an Ivorian fashion designer, was born in Brazil and has been designing since the age of 13.

She chose to start her own line in 2009 after interning at world-famous fashion houses in New York City.

Maléombho presently makes garments and accessories that blend traditional African designs with contemporary fashion, she also collaborates with Ivory Coast artisans, such as shoemakers and weavers, to incorporate their skills into her creations.

Content courtesy of Global Citizen & NFH

Rihanna Wears A Thebe Magugu Crocheted Outfit To Make A Grand Announcement About Fenty Beauty Africa.

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Rihanna looked stunning in Thebe Magugu’s Merino Wool Fringe Knitted Dress while announcing the launch of Fenty Beauty in Africa.
Rihanna, a Grammy Award-winning singer and entrepreneur, debuted her Fenty Beauty cosmetics line in September 2017.

Rihanna stated that Fenty Beauty will be available in a few African nations, including Kenya, over five years later, and what better way to promote it than by wearing pieces by a South African designer?
The Work singer made her statement while dressed in a Merino Wool Fringe Knitted Dress by Thebe Magugu.

“Welcome to Africa Riri,” tweeted the South African designer on Twitter, adding that the collection was about “exploring the shifting face of African Spirituality.”

“The silhouettes in the collection combine traditional local wardrobe solutions like draping and wrapping with intricate and crisp tailoring. The collection honors the work of renowned textile and printmakers from throughout the world “Thebe explained the motivation behind the 2021 collection.

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Hits Africa 
Fenty Beauty will soon be available in Kenya, Botswana, Ghana, South Africa, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, Rihanna said on Twitter on Tuesday, May 10th.

Fenty Beauty will be available on May 27th, according to the 34-year-old billionaire.

Rihanna Showcases Her Thebe Magugu Knit Dress.
Thebe Magugu welcomed Rihanna to Africa on Instagram on Wednesday, May 11th, following her Fenty Beauty announcement.

She wore his Merino Woll Fringe Knitted Dress with a detachable bralette from his Autumn/Winter Alchemy 21 collection, which addresses the “shifting face of African Spirituality,” according to the award-winning designer.

In March 2021, Magugu debuted the collection during Paris Fashion Week. The skilled designer told British Vogue that the collection was “such a niche sensation.”

 

Which Other Celebs Have Worn Thebe Magugu?

Thebe Magugu has been worn by a number of American celebrities in recent years. In an episode of her hit comedy Insecure, American actress and producer Issa Rae wore a Thebe Magugu gown.

Miley Cyrus flaunted her Thebe Magugu men’s suit while soaring through the sky in a private plane, while Kylie Jenner flaunted her wool suit.

Issa Rae

Miley Cyrus

Kylie Jenner

Adut Akech

Dionne Warwick

Content courtesy of The South African, Thebe Magugu & NFH

The First AMVCA Runway Show Will Be Hosted By Nigerian Fashion Designer Mai Atafo.

Posted on by Fashion Police

The first-ever Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards runway show will be hosted by fashion designer Mai Atafo on Sunday evening.
He’ll be joined by Miz Vick, the show’s host, to anchor the second day of this year’s AMVCA, which will run for eight days.

Africa Magic’s official Instagram page announced the hosts on Sunday.
The awards ceremony this year will last eight days instead of the previous one-day affair.

Africa Magic has planned an eight-day series of events in conjunction with MultiChoice to celebrate the 8th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs), which will take place on May 14, 2022.

Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head, Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, made the announcement at a press conference, saying that the eight-day series of events will reinvent and bring exciting innovations to the awards, which were first held in 2013.
“We’re focusing on bringing the various qualities that make the African film and television industry genuinely magical to the millions of Africans who tune in every year to watch the awards.”

Fashion, technology, gastronomy, and African culture will all be celebrated at these carefully chosen events. There will be panel discussions and film screenings from our MultiChoice Talent Factory, as well as industry sessions and competitions for digital content creators and aspiring fashion designers,” she stated.
The eight-day festival will kick off on Saturday, May 7 with an Opening Night.

MultiChoice Talent Factory Day will take place on Monday, May 9th, with movie screenings and panel discussions led by MTF Academy students. On Tuesday, May 10th, Africa Magic will conduct a special Content Market Day for industry participants.

On Wednesday, May 11th, there will be a pan-African cuisine and cultural event.
On Thursday, May 12th, a Digital Content Creators’ Day will be held to raise awareness of the growing popularity of online content creators.
On Friday, May 13th, a special gala for nominees will be held, followed by the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 14th.

The awards event, now in its eighth year, last took place in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was canceled in 2021.

The event kicked off on Saturday night with an inaugural gala that kicked off a series of activities leading up to the award ceremony on Saturday, May 14, 2022.
The runway event, which will take place tonight in collaboration with BellaNaija Style, is titled ‘Design for the Stars.’
The show will include a competition for nine aspiring fashion designers who have been taught by established designers such as Mai Atafo, Lanre Da-Silva Ajayi, and Adebayo Oke-Lawal.
For this edition, Africa Magic and its partners honor true African fashion and its significance in the development of the African film and television industries.

Content courtesy of Africa Magic & NFH

Jeffery Wilson, The Founder And Director Of The Jw Show, Represented Kenya At Africa Fashion Week Seattle.

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

Africa Fashion Week Seattle’s African-inspired designs are sweeping the global fashion market like never before, and it’s time to celebrate African excellence once more.

The Seattle Marriott Redmond hosted a colorful and vibrant exhibition and fashion event on May 8th, presenting local and international designers from all over the world.
Jeffery Wilson, our very own Kenyan Fashion Guru and Director of the JW Show, represented Kenya at Africa Fashion Week Seattle.

About JW Show

We aspire to connect Kenya, Africa, and the rest of the world via fabric and design.

Make a date with us and be a part of this renowned spectacle where elegance meets style. This fashion spectacular brings together men and women who are pushing the boundaries of sustainable local fashion enterprises that have crossed borders and drawn the attention of the globe.

About Africa Fashion Week Seattle Fashion For Humanity

It gives me great pleasure to warmly welcome you to this year’s Africa Fashion Week Seattle. This event was created to not only showcase the beauty of African fashion and culture but also to promote child education in African communities where many school-aged children are underprivileged and marginalized.
Every day, millions of African children, particularly in South Senegal and Tanzania, struggle to learn due to poor learning conditions. Images of young students sitting on the floor or on the ground due to a lack of desks have deeply moved me. Like most of you here today, I was fortunate to attend schools where I had access to every tool available to aid my learning.

The desperation of these children should serve as a wake-up call for us; we must act. To begin, we can provide them with a desk where they can write and learn. This is the first step in keeping these bright young minds in school.

In Senegal, a school desk costs $65 and a classroom requires 40 desks. By participating in Africa Fashion Week Seattle, you will make a difference by providing Senegalese or Tanzanian children with the opportunity to further their education and achieve their dreams.

We have been able to provide up to 101 desks, enough for two classrooms, since April 2021, and our goal is to provide 500 chairs by the end of the year 2022.

We will need all of the assistance we can get to reach this goal. I believe that by working together, we can improve access to education and learning quality in Africa, beginning in Senegal and Tanzania.

I’d like each of you to take a moment to consider this question:

  • Do you believe in education?
    Do you think education is important for breaking the cycle of poverty?
  • Do you think education is the key to opening the golden door of freedom for African children?

We don’t have to look far to find the answers to these questions.

Everyone reading this letter, in my opinion, is a living example of education’s limitless power.
Education represents everything to these children since it is the only avenue that can guarantee them socioeconomic freedom for themselves and future generations.

You will make a significant difference in the world by supporting our project, as you will be a part of something bigger than our local communities.
Your contribution will help to safeguard the future of an African youngster whose light would otherwise go unnoticed. There is no cause more noble, worthy, or spiritually fulfilling in my opinion, and I’m sure you’ll all agree.

Content courtesy of The JW Show, Africa Fashion Week Seattle & NFH

In America: An Anthology of Fashion, The Best Dressed Stars at the Met Gala 2022

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

What exactly is gilded opulence? People have been trying to decipher the implications of the Met Gala’s 2022 theme since it was revealed. Some people associate the phrase with Edith Wharton’s New York, while others associate it with the blingy, streetwise appearance of the early 2000s.

Guests at tonight’s event were allowed to take their own path, with plenty of space for interpretation. They dressed to the nines in custom designer costumes and historical vintage with glee.

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On the red carpet, Janelle Monáe told Vogue that her Ralph Lauren gown evoked “future gilded glamour.
” A black shimmering train and a silver headdress completed the appearance, which was completed with silver Tiffany & Co jewelry.

The red carpet was packed with long trains, massive diamonds, and outgoing personalities trying to make an impression. Because there were so many attention-getting outfits, deviating from the usual was the only way to truly stand out.
Dakota Johnson is accustomed to wearing Alessandro Michele’s creations, but the fringed sequin catsuit she wore to the Met felt new.
Erykah Badu’s layers of beaded Marni suiting and tall hat were a stunning take on the star’s signature style.

Who says high fashion can’t be practical? 
Gigi Hadid’s Versace scarlet red jumpsuit and billowing puffer didn’t just look nice; they also allowed for more mobility and appeared to keep Hadid warm on a carpet where some celebs expressed their discomfort with the weather.

Multiple celebrities opted to wear vintage, emphasizing the importance of sustainability. Each of Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton muses, including Hoyeon Jung, Emma Stone, and Cynthia Erivo, came on the red carpet wearing a piece from the brand’s history that was tailored to fit their preferences.

Adut Akech took it a step further by wearing a Shrimpton Couture emerald green Christian Lacroix gown with a supermodel swagger.

 

Revisiting these vintage outfits demonstrated how forward-thinking the work of designers like Lacroix and Ghesquière is, but Kim Kardashian took home the night’s biggest historical win. The reality star debuted in the Jean Louis gown Marilyn Monroe wore to serenade John F.

It’s been said that good things come to those who wait, and Kim Kardashian appeared to be one of the last celebs to arrive on the Met Gala carpet.
Kardashian embraced old Hollywood, accompanied by her beau, “SNL” comedian Pete Davidson, by donning the same dress Marilyn Monroe wore in 1962 during her performance of “Happy Birthday” for then-President John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy on his birthday in 1962, just moments before the red carpet was supposed to close. It concluded an adventurous evening with a history lecture with a modern twist. Check out the best-dressed celebs on the 2022 Met Gala red carpet below, and check out the red carpet live stream to see all of the looks from fashion’s greatest night.

Kendall Jenner embraced the shadows in a smokey ballgown from Prada, in contrast to her sister Kylie Jenner’s all-white Off-White ensemble.
Jenner wore her bleached eyebrows with the translucent black two-piece gown, which included a billowing train with frills.

Content courtesy of Vogue & NFH 

Forever254 A New Fashion Boutique Has Opened In Kenya, Offering Original Brand Clothing At Reasonable Pricing.

Posted on by Ann Mumbi

Kenyans are frequently seen wearing secondhand clothing, also known as mitumba attire, which is generally purchased from street vendors and informal retailers.
Because of its affordability, accessibility, and capacity to provide jobs for people of all economic levels, used clothing remains the most popular source of clothes in Kenya’s local fashion scene.

According to the Institute of Economic Affairs, China, which is known for being a global top producer of counterfeit products, would be Kenya’s largest source of secondhand clothing and footwear by 2020.
This has resulted in significant losses for the local fashion sector, hurting not just real garment producers, but also consumers who purchase low-quality goods that are not long-lasting and wind up costing them more in the long run.

In Kenya, a new fashion boutique has opened that sells authentic brand apparel at subsidized pricing.

The apparel store Forever254 was formed on this idea, It is the first of its kind to bring in original brand clothing at subsidized pricing, and it hopes to pave the way for other businesses to follow suit.
The store sells a selection of fashionable and stylish pieces from different globally known brands, making them easily accessible to Kenyans at moderate costs, in an effort to relieve Kenyans of the burden of flying abroad in order to be guaranteed authentic high quality clothes.

“We bring in apparel from original companies like Zara, Boho, H&M, MANGO, St. Oliver, and others and sell them at heavily discounted costs,” stated the store’s Managing Director, Giorgos Zisimatos.

The store opens at a good time for Kenya’s middle class, which is increasing as a result of increased disposable income, improved awareness of global retail trends, and altering tastes and preferences.
As the middle class opts for more authentic and worldwide branded apparel and shifts toward formal merchants, this has resulted in a need for more from the local shopping scene, in terms of both goods and services.

“Much of the clothes we provide is sold at a discount of roughly 30% off the original price. The same top quality, but at a significantly lesser price. This, we believe, provides a terrific alternative to buying counterfeit, low-cost clothes, which ultimately costs consumers more in the long run,” he added.

Africans are often devoted consumers, according to the Africa Growth Initiative. This can be observed in the store’s cautious but steady expansion since its inception three years ago, with two locations at the Waterfront and Sarit Centre.

“Our goal is to grow even further and make authentic clothes the go-to source for Kenyans in terms of clothing and footwear.” We want you to be able to dress well without going broke.”

The store is also involved in CSR and has worked with the St. Jerome Centre in Nakuru, which rescues, supports, rehabilitates, and provides a home for orphaned and abandoned children.

Molestation, desertion, violence, incapable parents, and other forms of abuse and disadvantage are all avoided at this school for children.

“During the Easter season, a portion of every purchase made at the business will be donated to the children,” he says.

Content courtesy of Forever254 Clothing Store & NFH

Gert-Johan Coetzee Discusses His New Collection, Dressing Lizzo, And Establishing A Shop In The United States.

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

He’s dressed TV stars, models, beauty queens, influencers, and singers both locally and internationally.
He is the celebrity’s go-to designer. Toke Makinwa, a Nigerian actress, wore his show-stopping gown to the Bridgerton Affair, which made news across the continent.

This year, fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee celebrates 12 years in the industry by launching his Autumn/Winter collection, which is a collaboration with Zebra Square Gallery, Chopard’s Hyde Park Corner distributor.

The collection is made up of proudly African masterpieces with a dash of Western culture and his Afrikaans ancestry.
Gert tells Drum that he intended to put a modern spin on African baroque when creating the collection.

“After my previous collection, I wanted to really show off the next level.” I drove you all the way from Cape Town to Limpopo and the rest of our country’s warmer regions. It was inspired by wildlife, nature, and all things exotic, with a modern take on African baroque.

It’s my perspective on Africa. It’s Africa with a twist, and it’s the key to why I’ve been so successful on the world stage.”

Gert claims that he is all about making clothes that people can relate to.
“I can put a twist to the Tsonga skirt (Xhibelane) or a Zulu beaded garment while honoring my Afrikaans ancestry,” he explains.

“It provides a one-of-a-kind aesthetic that hasn’t been done anywhere else in the globe.”

He chose fuller-figured models for his new line, as he did for his prior work with Barbie.

“I am all about body positivity and inclusion, yet we don’t see fuller-figured models on the runway.” I wanted everyone on the planet to be able to imagine themselves walking down the runway. “I believe it is past time to celebrate women and their flaws,” he argues.

“I work with people of all shapes and sizes.” They occasionally express dissatisfaction with their arms, boobs, or other features. However, it is what makes you who you are, and it cannot be replaced.

I’m here to bring out the best in you, to make it shine out, and to make you feel like a fashion icon. “It’s very important for everyone to be seen and represented,” he continues. “The Barbie collection was all about inclusivity, not just body types and sizes, but also diverse religious groups, races, and sexuality.”

Lizzo, a pop sensation and body positivity advocate, wears a Gert-Johan Coetzee designer garment in the new US reality program competition Watch Out for the Big Grrrls. On March 25, the show premiered on Amazon Prime Video, and it follows 13 plus-size women as they try to become Lizzo’s dancers at the Bonnaroo music festival.

“That was a crazy experience,” Gert adds.

“I never imagined dressing Lizzo or Oprah, but I have.” It all began in October of 2021. ‘Would you be willing to do a custom piece for Lizzo?’ I received a message from Lizzo’s team requesting for a custom gown.
‘You’re asking if I’m willing to breathe,’ I reasoned. Of course, I’d like to. We started working with her stylist, Jason Rembert, and he was fantastic, and we came up with the ideal color. Her outfit was going to be orange at first, but we altered it to blue after a long but lovely process.”

One of the most difficult things Gert has had to do was keep quiet about the outfit and not share the good news.

It’s surreal for him to see his aspirations come true, he says.

“I’ve always wanted to be a designer that dresses people all around the world, and seeing that happen every day is a dream come true.”

After contacting her stylist Kollin Carter, who saw his work at the 2020 Kraal Couture presentation, he dressed rapper Cardi B in a beaded gown and corset for her husband Offset’s birthday celebration in Atlanta.

The complete gown took a week to make, and the beaded skirt was totally done by hand.

It’s surreal for him to see his aspirations come true, he says.

“I’ve always wanted to be a designer that dresses people all around the world, and seeing that happen every day is a dream come true.”

After contacting her stylist Kollin Carter, who saw his work at the 2020 Kraal Couture presentation, he dressed rapper Cardi B in a beaded gown and corset for her husband Offset’s birthday celebration in Atlanta.

The complete gown took a week to make, and the beaded skirt was totally done by hand.

Gert has dressed famous women like as Oprah Winfrey and Laura Govan for the Global Citizen event in 2018. Shudufadzo Musida, Bonang Matheba, Zozi Tunzi, Lerato Kganyago, Zodwa Mkandla, Minnie Dlamini, Nadia Nakai, and most recently Toke Makinwa, who walked the red carpet at the Bridgerton Affair in a green ball gown fit for royalty, are among his clients.

“I enjoy working with Nadia Nakai because she is always willing to try new things.
I adore all of the ladies because they are all so unique. Toke and I recently had a lot of fun. “We have a same vision for the ultimate result, and she is determined to make it happen,” he says.

“What happened to her at the Bridgerton event was borderline woman abuse because the corset she wore was sinful and very tight, and she was like ‘do it.'” I adore girls like that, who are simply open to the aesthetic and willing to be transformed. Every weekend, Toke dresses up as a different character, and she is open to fashion.”

He hopes to collaborate with artists Doja Cat and Megan The Stallion on a global scale.

“That would be a dream come true, and I am confident it will occur.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has made the last two years difficult for designers, but Gert says he has not let the pandemic keep him in a rut.

“The challenges you set for yourself are exactly what you want them to be. If you perceive anything as a challenge, you will perceive it as such. I see things as they are, and it is critical for new designers not to hunt for excuses; no one will come to your rescue. You are the only one who can motivate you to stand up. “You must perceive yourself as both a creative and a businessperson or woman,” he explains.

“Not only has the pandemic given me a gorgeous body since I’ve been working out nonstop,” she says, “but it’s also pushed my creativity.” I couldn’t go back to my old ways of being creative, so I had to come up with new ones. Rather than grumbling, he claims, he “allowed chances.”

“Most bursary programs fail due to a lack of mentorship programs. Mentorship is one of the ways I lead mine, I select two students who I believe have potential and talent, mentor them, and help them turn a drab situation into a gem.
I enjoy assisting others. Christopher Gills, my assistant designer, is a graduate of my program, and I’ve had a lot of success stories.

My pride and delight is the program, and mentoring someone means helping them build a future, whether or not they become the next Gert. “It’s all about change,” he says.

The bursary program will reopen in August this year.

“But the great news is that the outfits from this new collection will be heading all the way to the United States in the next week; I’m creating a showroom or headquarters in Los Angeles, so the clothes will be accessible for use by US celebrities when they need them.”

“I don’t take four days to ship something to Cardi B or anyone else,” he claims.

“The clothing might be accessible right away.”
Gert has also begun the process of relocating his Linden studio to a larger location in Johannesburg’s northwestern suburbs.

“We’re relocating to a larger and better studio in Bryanston, expanding to a much larger facility, and expanding, all in the pursuit of the international dream.”

Content courtesy Drum News 24 of & NFH

Top 10 Kenyan Luxury Fashion Brands

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Kenyan luxury brands and fashion designers are pioneering authentic African urban wear. As we focus on luxury brands from Kenya, the NFH team takes a look at some local alternative designs you can bet on if you’re looking for something different this year.

What exactly is a luxury fashion brand?
A luxury brand is distinguished by its high level of quality, exclusivity, and high price tags.
Luxury brands can be found in a variety of industries, including retail, hospitality, and automobiles.

What Characteristics Characterize a Luxury Brand?
The exclusivity of a luxury brand is the most important factor in its creation.
Of course, luxury brands will always be of high quality, but premium brands, which provide high quality and seek to sell to everyone who can afford it, can also achieve this.

Luxury brands, on the other hand, do not want to serve the masses, and they do not want their products to be widely available, even at high prices. When it comes to luxury marketing, scarcity is everything, and it’s what makes it so desirable in the first place.
The luxury sector is fuelled by people who aspire to be part of it, not by the wealthy.

Below is A list of top Kenya luxury fashion brands, do you agree? if not share your thoughts in the comment section.

1. Ami Doshi Shah

Ami Doshi Shah was born in Mombasa, Kenya, on the country’s coast. Her ancestors immigrated from India, and she is a third-generation Kenyan. In the United Kingdom, Shah studied at the Birmingham School of Art and Design.

In 2001, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jewelry and Silversmithing. She also won the Goldsmith Award for Best Apprentice Designer that year.
Shah completed a 6-month apprenticeship in Mumbai and Jaipur before returning to Kenya.
She did not, however, start making jewelry right away, Instead, she pursued a career in advertising.

Ami Doshi Shah, a designer, draws inspiration from Kenya’s natural beauty. She was trained as a jeweler and silversmith in the United Kingdom before returning to her native country and launching her namesake label twelve years after graduating. Her pieces are distinguished by their unconventional, sculptural designs and enthralling natural materials made from local metals and minerals.

2. Kiko Romeo

Ann and Iona McCreath from Nairobi, Kenya, have collaborated on KikoRomeo, which means “Adam’s Apple” in Kiswahili. The heritage lifestyle brand was founded in 1996 to promote trade and appreciation of traditional crafts while also stimulating employment. Over the last two decades, KikoRomeo has mentored many designers and artisans in Kenya and is widely credited with transforming the Kenyan fashion industry.

Iona earned a Sociology degree from the London School of Economics and a Foundation in Art and Design from UAL Central St Martin’s in 2018. She has also worked as an apprentice in the fashion industry since she was a child.

Ann has a Master of Arts from the University of Edinburgh and classical training in Italian Alta Moda.

She is the founder of FAFA (Festival of African Fashion & Arts), a global platform for African designers that launched “Fashion for Peace” in 2008.

3. Anyango Mpinga

Anyango Mpinga is a fashion designer, to put it another way, She founded the Contemporary Sustainable brand in 2015, which is inspired by white shirts, bold prints, and unconventional style that is both male and female in nature.
Her look harkens back to the Romantic Victorian era, but with a sophisticated boyish edge. She is currently working on making biodegradable textiles.

She established the Free As A Human Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking and economic injustices in the fashion supply chain and consumer sectors that exploit workers.

4. Akinyi Odongo

MEFA Creations’ Akinyi Odongo Kenya is a high-end, rejuvenating, and invigorating African fashion line that spans the local, regional, and international apparel industries.

Akinyi Odongo Kenya has shifted the establishment with African-inspired designs exuding timeless sophistication, class, and ever-present diversity that has carved its niche in the local and international fashion arena, inspired by a Kenyan fashion industry incessantly knocking on the international market galaxy.

Odongo, Akinyi Kenya is now a bespoke designer of perfect cuts, refined details, and high-quality yet durable fabrics for everyday use, with a touch of rich African culture to distinguish it.
We know what we’re talking about when it comes to targeting high-net-worth individuals from all over the world.

First ladies of African countries, presidential candidates, and corporate high flyers have all won our jackets, dresses, skirts, and suits, which have been widely praised by fashion enthusiasts.

5. Jok A Jok

Jok A Jok has become a well-known clothing brand in the country since its introduction. This clothing line has a lot to offer. Tedd Josiah, a veteran music producer, founded it in memory of his late wife, a fashion enthusiast, and designer.
Furthermore, the name Jok A Jok is derived from one of the River-lake Nilotes sub-tribes in Western Kenya, from which Tedd Josiah is descended. Though the quality speaks for itself, Tedd describes it as a luxury, African leather brand, with materials and labor sourced from Kenya.

6. Adele Dejak

Handmade fashion accessories for the modern, sophisticated, and multidimensional woman are created by the Adèle Dejak brand.

The cutting-edge pieces, which are inspired by African shapes, textures, and traditional techniques, sit perfectly between artifact and high fashion statement designs. Adèle Dejak unites style and substance and invites you to embrace your personal style without apology!
Adele Dejak, a jewelry designer, is on a mission to create a global powerhouse brand, and she’s on her way.

Dejak has established herself as a trailblazing luminary in Kenya and across Africa, paving the way for fellow designers such as Ami Doshi Shah to follow in her footsteps.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZLsq_sh53h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

7. Home 254 Apparels

Home is more than just a clothing line; it’s a way of life. It feels like you’re a member of an exclusive club if you own a piece of Home clothing.
Its name and logo proudly display Kenyan pride, which contributed to its popularity. Home, on the other hand, has grown in popularity in recent years as athleisure wear has become more popular. T-shirts, hoodies, and sweatsuits, which are stylish and comfortable, have become a wardrobe staple among many Kenyans, particularly on social media. They also have sizes for children.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaBzZfbIev6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

8. Looks Like Avido

The ubiquitous African Ankara prints have become a fetishized design globally to identify with Africa.
The kanga prints aren’t just for special occasions anymore; they can also be worn on regular workdays or on casual chill days, depending on how they’re styled.

Looks Like Avido has you covered with fanny packs, blazers, shorts, dandy boots, and pants.
Separating himself from cookie-cutter designers with a variety of multiple colorful patterns and minimal prints, his fabrics have made him a favorite stylist for many celebrities including Koffee, Fena Gitu, Chronixx, Jah Cure, and G-Money, among many others.

9. Sandstorm Kenya

Sandstorm Kenya, based in Nairobi, used to manufacture luxury tents for East Africa’s most prestigious safari camps. Today, they use the same traditional skills to create stylish and long-lasting safari-grade travel bags, work bags, and accessories out of the finest materials, and we’re about to introduce a new line of leather products, including briefcases and laptop bags.

In this age of outsourcing, we’re unusual in that we’re very much a manufacturer brand,’ and our unique position as an African manufacturer directly linked to the timeless glamour of safari adds to our uniqueness and appeal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTmaMuOgOQZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

10. El Afrique

El Afrique became known to the rest of the world after it was featured on Beyonce’s website. THEE QUEEN BEY, yes. However, they’ve been making some stylish Ankara outfits for a while.

El Afrique was one of the first clothing brands in the country to specialize in African prints. Slowly but steadily, the Ankara trend gained traction, and they are now widely recognized around the world. They have one-of-a-kind designs for both men and women.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIdydMZhN76/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

11. 1v1 Garments

This edgy fashion label could be compared to Awgie, Kapital, Chrome Jeans, or River Island in Kenya.
They are proud to be number 254. You could have a punk-grunge wardrobe with well-detailed graffiti art, patched jeans, symbolic gesturing, fearless social messaging, and daring rips for a reasonable price.

It’s not for the faint of heart, but a brave risk and local support sound like the perfect combination.

12. Rose Jewelry

Rose Jewellery offers a unique collection of real diamonds, uncut diamonds, pearls, gold, rose gold, and silver jewelry. Its owners have more than 20 years of jewelry-making and stone-setting experience.

Rose Jewellery provides specialized services such as resizing, repairs, and engraving with every purchase. We’re on the first floor, in the New Wing Shop #620.

13. Esko

DJ Crème De La Crème also dabbled in the fashion industry, launching Esko Life, his own clothing line. It features innovative, out-of-the-box designs that celebrate one’s individuality.
You can go with a simple logo or something more unique like a panda or a Greek statue. T-shirts and hoodies are also available in a variety of bright and fun colors, including orange, yellow, light blue, and pink.

14. Sued Watches

SUED is a Kenyan watch brand dedicated to keeping time in the most African way possible. ‘Isn’t African Timer used to describe someone who never keeps time?’ you might wonder. Sue Mueni, the founder of SUED, used the phrase in a lighthearted manner.

The 24-year-old created her own line of Afrocentric in-house watches and customized accessories, which were delivered in beaded baskets. SUED would motivate you to keep time; or at least run fashionably late, with statement details such as beaded, hair on hide, or pure leather, as well as the choice of strap, cuff, or removable watch strap. What prompted the young entrepreneur to free up some time?

SUED is a Made in Kenya watch brand that was founded in 2015. We handcraft one-of-a-kind, statement-making Timepieces for both accessorizing and time value.
The heart of our brand is to promote the rich African culture and its long-term contribution to civilization.

15. Wazawazi

Wazawazi is a high-end brand dedicated to assisting you in creating your ideal life. Its mission is to spread the beauty of Africa’s story. Through a design-driven product that facilitates interaction with modern-day Africa, the company is an open call to all lovers of diversity, cultural experiences, and social inclusion.
Wazawazi is the epitome of high quality, uniqueness, and timeless design. Our flawless Modern-Day African Lifestyle Products bring us pride by allowing you to design your life around our creations while remaining true to our Afrocentric aesthetic.

We are steeped in a leather artisanal tradition, excellent craftsmanship, and an unabashed passion for the finer things in life.

16. Suave Kenya

Suave is a Kenyan clothing company that focuses on upcycling bags. Using Ankara fabrics, they transform ordinary bags into one-of-a-kind, personalized bags.
They have a sizable customer base both in the country and abroad, thanks to their stunning final products.

People all over the world adore these one-of-a-kind bags and wear them as a fashion statement. They are also useful and reasonably priced.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKT0lSPH4M8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

17. Kipato Unbranded

18. Peperuka World

Kenyans are known for a variety of things, including catchphrases like “Me, I Love Kenya,” “Kwa Ground Vitu Ni Different,” and “Hii zoom ingekuwa email,” which is a personal favorite.
They are relatable to the majority of Kenyans, and they also serve as a great conversation starter when worn on a t-shirt. Peperuka lets you make a personalized t-shirt, mug, or flask out of any of your favorite Kenyan phrases.

19. Bush Princess

I’m originally from Sweden, but I’ve lived all over Europe because of my passion for fashion. My husband and I decided to move to Kenya with our children in 2007 because we wanted to change our lives. A few years prior, we had fallen in love with this country.

That was the start of the Bush Princess adventure. I wanted to create a brand that reflected my personality, combining European elegance with African colors and materials.

The challenge was to produce 100 percent locally and responsibly, which is a difficult task in this part of the world.
Bush Princess bags are all handmade in Kenya and were founded by Charlotte Lefebvre.

Each piece features traditional African craftwork and is elegantly designed in the Bush Princess signature style.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbKxk7SIooy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

20. Endo Squared

Because of the minimalist lifestyle, line drawings are in vogue. This Kenyan clothing brand is for you if you like this type of art.

The Endo sisters create line drawing-inspired jewelry, bags, t-shirts, and mugs. Furthermore, they hand-draw the designs, giving it a more genuine feel.

21. Aprelleduany

22. The Pink Savannah

23. Mzizi clothing

The brand in the business of antique baseball jerseys celebrating Kenyan reference numbers (for example, 63′ for the country’s independence) and national colors is emerging as a favorite among streetwear fans in the diaspora.
The line is simple in incorporating Kenyan elements such as the flag hues to stand out in the crowd, showing appreciation for Kenyan history and events with itsy-bitsy design effort. The calligraphy and fonts they use are also quite nice.

24. Katungulu Mwendwa

Katungulu Mwendwa creates timeless, timeless casual and semi-formal clothing that transcends seasons. Experimenting with cutting-edge techniques, cutting-edge fabrics, and time-honored methods.

In Nairobi, Kenya, she was born and raised by a base guitarist, architect, and plant-loving psychologist, along with her best friend and techie brother.
Katungulu studied fashion in the United Kingdom and returned home to Kenya to launch her own contemporary fashion line after graduating.

She spent a lot of her childhood following her late grandmother around Nairobi, where she ran and managed a curio shop that sourced work from artisanal groups she worked with within their hometown in Eastern Kenya.

Katungulu was so moved by this that she began working with community groups in the area to create pieces for her collection. She works from her Nairobi home studio, where she draws inspiration from her surroundings and everyday life. She is also influenced by traditional cultures, and she tries to create modern interpretations that are appropriate for an urban setting.

25. Ooze Coolness

Ooze Coolness is an interesting high-end streetwear brand with an eye for uniqueness. It is a distinctive streetwear brand that can have you noticed in any setting.

Their collection includes denim jackets, hoodies, shorts, and sweats, and their trademark logo makes them easy to spot if you’re looking to make a statement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRDoTt8lDla/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

26. Kangarui

Kangarui was created by Rui Yamashita. Her life experiences are reflected in each of her designs, as she was born in Japan and raised in Kenya. She has a quirky fusion style, full of color and often featuring animals from East Africa, and she wants to share her passion for safaris with the rest of the world.

Her passion has always been to get her hands dirty and be creative by experimenting with various materials and tools and layering heavily. Before launching her own brand in September 2016, her designs were sold at Urban Outfitters, Target, BHG, Houzz, and a variety of other stores around the world.

Kangarui sounds like an Australian animal, but it’s actually a combination of Kanga (or Khanga, a traditional Kenyan textile commonly used as headscarves and sarongs) and her first name, Rui. Kanga-Rui💕

https://www.instagram.com/p/CataBmMPauw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

27. 2endo

The clothing line posters art pieces by one of their owners, Patti Endo, give their products a vintage original touch. A relatively new luxury house based in Nairobi, the clothing line posters art pieces by one of its owners, Patti Endo, give their products a vintage original touch.

They’re perfect for weekend wear, carrying around perishables, and looking chic in a unisexual way in any given environment, with simple casual tees and beige tote bags.

28. TengeVuli

Tengevuli is a fashion house famous for its colorful umbrellas. Isabel and David, the company’s founders, spoke with Lucy Robi about their company. When did the story begin?

Isabell usually picks up fabric all over the continent. I, on the other hand, was unemployed and in between jobs at an IT firm. We saw an umbrella for over Sh10,000 one day and thought we could make one for less. That’s how it began.
TengeVuli is a social impact company that creates one-of-a-kind, functional, and fashionable fashion and interior design items.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BchI2wRlgU9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

29. Metamorphosed

The valiant dresser, designed by Instagram muse Afro Minimalist, isn’t afraid to show off his work.

The experimental organization makes clothes perfect for layering, ranging from less intricate pieces that focus solely on fabric elements to complex, chaotic, but meticulous items such as roping, bangles, zippers, and straps.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHEMB_-sWES/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

30. Chillimango

ChilliMango is an Afro-Urban streetwear brand that creates iconic designs and transforms them into a variety of products that reflect contemporary Kenya’s ever-changing urban culture. Our designs are a fusion of various elements of African culture and elements from other cultures around the world. ChilliMango is thus a mash-up of cultures.

We also have a strong nostalgia for the 1980s and 1990s, so our designs incorporate many iconic elements from that era.
ChilliMango offers fresh and creative clothing that is super cozy but bold and one-of-a-kind, all handcrafted with love. Among our products are printed designs on t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, bags, and other items. We’ve also begun to investigate textile design because we truly believe in the future of African-made and designed textile prints.

31. Maverick Itumo

The audacious designer, a student at a creative school, has managed to remain discreet and under the radar in releasing his limited notable collections for more than a year.

He has no limits to his mind’s reach and execution, from alternative flying saucer hats to the distinct nganya rings jewelry.

However, through his online clothing store Kenyan Vintage, you can get a variety of streetwear merchandise that you didn’t even know you wanted.

32. Against All Ads

This is the place where a woman can find her ideal gown. The stall brimming with designer gowns that bring out the best in every woman has arrived to save the day.
The store is curated for every situation or ceremony a dress can be useful for, from silks to slits, knee-lengths, drag on the floors, and every color your mind can imagine.
There are frequent sales, but be careful not to go into debt trying to buy everything from their racks.

33. Vitimbi by Oliver Asike

Oliver Asike, co-owner of creative entrepreneurs 2 many siblings, is working on a new fashion line. The brand is revolutionary because it is made from recycled waste.

The line, which debuted last year at his Thrift Social event with musician IamDDB, is divisive to say the least.
The idea of celebrating Makanga uniform by turning it into overalls excites, especially since it comes in bold base colors like dull maroon, bright yellow, and charcoal black.

The concept is novel, but it may irritate those who are not open to new ideas. They also have fantastic tie-dye material and warm fleece jackets with stylish aesthetics that are ideal for any weather.

34. Denri 

Prior to the arrival of Wazi Wazi, Jok A Jok, the Kenyan market was dominated by another bag brand called Denri. Fena Gitu, a well-known musician, is the brains behind it.
This brand appeals to a younger, more budget-conscious demographic while maintaining high quality and design standards. They also have a wide range of bags for all of your needs, including school bags, travel bags, laptop bags, handbags, and more, all at reasonable prices.

Content courtesy of NFH

This Pair Of Levi’s Has Traveled 18,000 Miles. What It Means In Terms Of Global Inequality.

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

The vendor hung The Jeans on his stall on a dusty street corner in a Johannesburg township early one Saturday morning. They were a used pair of Levi’s 550s. Straighten your leg. A more relaxed fit. 36″ waist, 34″ inseam Cotton, 100% cotton, in a soft, brushed blue. The hems on the left pocket were frayed, and there was a small tear above one belt loop, but The Jeans looked brand new.

The vendor knew that people who buy secondhand clothes in this area regard Levi’s as a luxury brand. Levi’s are “an American tradition, symbolizing the vitality of the West to people all over the world,” according to a message stamped on the inside of one of The Jeans’ pockets. He’d probably be able to sell them for $10.

However, The Jeans, as iconic as they are of the American West, were also global citizens. “Made in Lesotho,” said a gleaming tag stitched inside the right hip. The tiny, mountainous country, which is completely surrounded by South Africa, is approximately 250 miles away from the market where The Jeans were now hanging. Instead of a five-hour overland trip, these jeans had most likely circled the globe before being resold in southern Africa.

The Jeans’ cotton was most likely grown in one country, spun and woven into fabric in another, cut and sewn in a third, and worn and donated to charity in a fourth before arriving in South Africa, country number five.

That journey from one neighboring African country to another, via an 18,000-mile detour to the United States, is a metaphor for Africa’s role in the fast-fashion industry, as well as Americans’ role in it.

The clothing industry, which is one of the most environmentally damaging in the world, accounts for 10% of global emissions, which is more than air travel and maritime shipping combined. Meanwhile, the people who make the world’s clothing – primarily women in the Global South – rarely earn more than their country’s minimum wage, which in many African countries is less than $200 per month.
Nonetheless, the continent is increasingly bearing the burden of both manufacturing and disposing of America’s clothing.

Workers’ benefits are bare bones.
Blue jeans are possibly the most popular garment in the modern world, made from cotton, a plant fiber that has helped shape much of today’s world as we know it.

“Without cotton cloth, we would have no global economy, staggering social inequality between the Global North and South, no work for women outside the home, and no industrialization, which was all powered by slavery on expropriated and overtaxed land,” claims Maxine Bedat, author of “Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment.”

Denim was invented in a Nevada tailor shop in the 1870s and popularized by Levi Strauss & Co. as workwear for lumberjacks, cowboys, and railroad workers. Jeans had also become a leisure item by the mid-twentieth century. Today, the average American woman owns seven pairs of jeans. Every year, 1.25 billion pairs are sold worldwide.

The Jeans were among them at some point in the last few years.

But first, they had to be sewn. Based on their “Made in” tag, this particular pair could have been stitched together in only one location: Maseru, Lesotho’s capital, in a scruffy industrial district of aluminum factory shells.

Despite the fact that the southern African country is a minor player in the global garment industry, jeans are big business in the country of 2 million people. Women make up the vast majority of those who work in clothing factories here, as they do nearly everywhere else in the world. As a result, The Jeans were almost certainly made by women in Lesotho.

About 100 of them, because that’s how many hands a pair of jeans passes through from the moment the roll of denim is unspooled on the factory floor to the moment it’s packed in a shipping container.

What would the first moments of The Jeans’ existence have looked like?

They would have made a lot of noise. A swarm of flies buzzes through the vast interior of a blue jeans factory. Hissing from irons The clacking and clattering of washing machines The only thing that isn’t silent are the workers, who are hunched over their machines, laser-focused on assembling a single item a belt loop, a pocket, a leg seam – in order to meet targets that number in the hundreds or thousands of pairs per day.

For more than a decade, Rorisang Kamoli has worked in Levi Strauss factories in Lesotho. She’s in her early thirties, petite, and wears thick-rimmed Buddy Holly glasses with long braids. Here’s what she’d have done if The Jeans had passed through her hands.

She’d run her fingers over the rivets, the tiny patented bronze buttons sewn to the front pockets of every pair of Levi’s, and the fly button. She’d twist each one to make sure it was secure, and she’d feel for rough, sharp edges that would make The Jeans dangerous to wear.

Years of quality control work have caused her thumbnails to split open and her fingers to become calloused. Her mind is equally exhausted as she considers the people in America who buy these jeans for $69.50  roughly half her monthly wage.

“Americans don’t care how we live to make these products; they just want to wear them,” she says.

Her cracked thumbnail is one of the things she suspects Americans overlook. Is it possible to raise two children on $150 per month? What it’s like to have a coworker killed in a protest while trying to persuade companies to raise the minimum wage to around $160 per month. When your life depends on blue jeans, the terror of seeing half the world swap jeans for sweatpants during a global pandemic.

Lesotho had a different export when Ms. Kamoli was growing up: its men went to work in South Africa’s gold, diamond, and platinum mines. However, the mines began to close in the 1990s. As new garment factories opened, the men returned, and the women went to work.

However, the new opportunities resulted in a bitter independence. “Sometimes I get irritated with jeans. They irritate me. Why should I have to work so hard for such a meager wage to create something like this?” Ms. Kamoli explains.

Africa is being inundated with secondhand imports.
Lesotho’s garment industry exists in large part due to an American trade agreement known as the African Growth and Opportunities Act, which has allowed Lesotho and three dozen other African countries to import certain goods, including clothing, into the United States duty-free since 2001.

It also means that nearly all of Lesotho’s Levi’s are headed to America. So it’s safe to assume that’s where The Jeans went next.

According to the clothing rental service Rent the Runway, Americans buy dozens of clothing items per year – an average of 68.

In the 1950s, American families spent 10% of their income on clothing and only bought a few items per year.

That figure is now 2%, but thanks to the rise of so-called fast fashion, that amount now buys nearly a new closet’s worth of items each year.

The Jeans were one of many purchases made by someone, somewhere.

Then there was the pandemic. The Jeans and their owner split up around that time. Who needed jeans when you could wear pants with an elastic waist and never leave the house? According to the online secondhand retailer, ThredUp, clothing donations increased by more than 50% in 2020.

Because the Jeans were in near-perfect condition, their owner could have been forgiven for thinking they would make an excellent donation to a local Goodwill or Salvation Army.
They might have reasoned that they would be snapped up quickly at a local thrift store, and the charity would earn some much-needed funds for its programs.

Except that’s not what happens to the majority of the clothes that Americans donate to charity, and it’s also not what happened to The Jeans.

American charity shops typically sell only 10% to 20% of the donations they receive. The remainder are collected by textile recyclers, which exist solely to make old clothes disappear.

They purchase donations from charity shops by weight and then sort them. According to the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association, approximately 45 percent is considered “salable,” that is, of high enough quality to be worn again. Another 50% can be recycled into rags or insulation, while the worst quality material is simply discarded.

“Watching the sorting and grading process feels a little like a visit to the slaughterhouse,” George Packer wrote of his visit to a textile recycler in Brooklyn.

70% of all donated clothing ends up in Africa. But it isn’t, as many believe, because Africans are desperate for the rest of the world’s leftovers. Many African countries had major textile industries in the decades following independence. After Western governments and global lenders began putting pressure on those countries to liberalize their economies in the 1980s, trade restrictions were lifted, and clothing imports from the rest of the world flooded in.

In recent years, some African countries have attempted to fight back. However, when an East African bloc banned the import of secondhand clothing in 2016, American textile exporters reacted predictably.

They applied pressure on lawmakers and the U.S. was threatening to withdraw from the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a trade agreement that allows African countries duty-free access to American markets for a wide range of goods. In the end, only Rwanda, a country in central Africa, stood firm.

As a result, The Jeans most likely landed in South Africa’s coastal neighbor Mozambique. Technically, importing any secondhand clothing into South Africa is illegal – a move designed to protect the country’s own clothing factories but the rule is flagrantly ignored. Every day, truckloads of goods rumble unhindered across its border, the majority of which is destined for a single market in downtown Johannesburg.

On a four-block stretch of De Villiers Street, sandwiched between a minibus taxi stand and the city’s main train station, dozens of hawkers sell secondhand clothing from bed-sized bins: gauzy blouses, T-shirts from American 5K races, vintage dresses, and, yes, jeans.

“AmaSkinnyJean! AmaSkinnyJean!” they yell, pluralizing words with the Zulu prefix. “It’s cheap, cheap, cheap!”
The market also sells to wholesalers, such as the one who purchased The Jeans. He then drove them 20 miles north to a neighborhood whose name means “Olive Wood Forest” in Afrikaans, despite the fact that it is a patch of prairie dotted with small houses and tin shacks and devoid of trees.

Olievenhoutbosch, like many South African townships – the mostly working-class bedroom communities that huddle on the outskirts of all its cities – has a clothing market, where a couple dozen vendors set up shop on a corner near a dusty police station every weekend.

Last November, The Jeans were among the clothes available.
“How much?” a customer inquired.
The vendor responded with R150. $10.
Nelson Mandela’s face shone up from the blue and red bills as she pulled them from her wallet.

Content courtesy of The Christian Science Monitor & NFH

The Collections For South African Fashion Week Begin in April.

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

The 25th Spring/Summer collections of SA Fashion Week (SAFW) are set to debut this month.
Some of the collection’s dynamic developments include environmental sustainability, women’s empowerment, inter-brand collaboration, and proudly local production investment.

Ephraim Molingoana for Ephymol, Amanda Laird Cherry and Palesa Mokubung of Mantsho, and cult Kasi brand, Loxion Kulca, now designed by Olé Ledimo, will unveil their 2022 collections to the media, buyers, selected VIPs, and a limited edition of public tickets.

This is in addition to exciting new stars such as 2021 New Talent winner Artho Eksteen, Fikile Zamagcino Sokhulu, and Sipho Mbuto, who both took part in the Fashion Bridges collaboration with Milan Fashion Week last year.

The 24th New Talent Search, hosted by Maps Maponyane, will once again kick off the event with a lineup of six of the most promising young designers to watch. The following are this year’s contenders:

  • Thando Ntuli – Munkus
  • Nichole Smith – Ipikoko
  • Mikhile du Plessis – MeKay Designs
  • Calvin Lunga Cebekhulu – Czene.24
  • Sanelisiwe Gcabashe – Gjenelo Couture
  • Mimangaliso Ndiko – Sixx6

What to anticipate

The Cruz Collective with Sokhulu and Mbuto, as well as another new generation notable, Michael Ludwig Studio, were also highlights of the first day.

Day two begins with The Oppo Collections, which brings together Artho Eksteen, Ezokhetho, the gender-neutral signature, The Bam Collective, and the much-loved Amanda Laird Cherry.

The high-profile trio of Cape Town-based Helon Melon, who wowed audiences in 2021 with her all-white, sustainable collection, fashion-forward Judith Atelier, an ardent supporter of South African mohair and perennial fashion week darling, Palesa Mokubung of Mantsho, follows.

BeachCult’s Joanna Hedley and Belhauzen, both Cape Town-based designer brands committed to clean fashion, will be in attendance.

Similarly, Pretoria-based Isabel de Villiers is a body-positive activist who will unveil her current, size-inclusive collection, while Johannesburg-based Kayla Stamboul of Kayla Stam proudly supports women empowerment with a 100% female-owned supply chain.

On Saturday 30 April, the SAFW Collections Men will shine a light on the excitement that is contemporary menswear design in South Africa, with a power trio consisting of Ntando Ngwenya, who merges conservative and postmodern techniques to create a distinctively new clothing presentation, Thato Mafubedu’s Afrikanswiss denimwear, and the much-loved Loxion Kulca brand currently under Olé Ledimo.

According to SAFW director Lucilla Booyzen, an exciting new collaboration between designers Fabrice Moyo of Franc Elis, menswear brands Floyd Avenue and Ephymol, and KwaZulu-Natal-based and proudly South African shoe manufacturers Eddels, Evox, and Hopewell Footwear marks an exciting grand finale for the Spring/Summer 22 Collection.

The significance of fashion
According to Nerisha Jairaj, executive director of the South African Footwear and Leather Export Council (Saflec), the South African Footwear and Leather Export Council (Saflec) is proud to be making industry history with its inaugural association with SA Fashion Week this year.

“We are thrilled to be flying the ‘Made in South Africa’ banner with the debut of three of our most exciting footwear brands for men on this high profile & prestigious platform so that a wider audience can discover the remarkable capability of fashion South Africa.”

According to Maishe Mambolo, brand manager at Cruz Vodka, fashion reflects a country’s culture. “It’s more than just clothes.” Fashion becomes an expression of your attitude. Fashion professionals value art, design, and culture, as well as a sense of beauty.”

From the 28th to the 30th of April, the SAFW’22 Spring/Summer Collections will be on display at Mall of Africa’s Parkade G5, Entrance 24.

You Can Buy Tickets Here.
Each designer’s information, biographies, and contact information can be found here.

Content courtesy of Biz Community & NFH

Sustainable Fashion Show “Completely out of Fashion” at The Alchemist, Nairobi, Kenya 

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

12 Kenyan fashion designers will graduate from a 6-month upcycling and incubator program on Sunday, April 3, 2022.
The Upcycled Collections Made From Post-Consumer Textile Waste Runway Show will feature their upcycled collections made entirely from post-consumer textile waste.

They will be accompanied by three Estonian Academy of Arts fashion design students who will be visiting Kenya as part of an exchange course program with Moi University in Kenya.

The textile and fashion industry is the world’s second largest polluter, with few options for recycling or extending its circularity. We consume 400% more textiles than we did 20 years ago, and this has an environmental cost.

Completely Out of Fashion, a collaboration between Reuse NGO and CXP Africa, has been mentoring 12 young Kenyan female designers from underserved communities who have a passion for fashion while being mindful of its environmental impact.
Reet Aus, an Estonian fashion designer who has been a pioneer in upcycling design for many years, gave the designers instructions.
The workshop included technical training as well as environmental knowledge in order to raise and create awareness about the negative consequences of poor textile waste management.

The main goal of the project was to take them through a series of lessons about upcycled design as a method and tool for reducing textile waste, as well as a way for them to channel their creativity and love of fashion in creating pieces out of textile waste.

Apart from the environmental aspect, each designer’s collection also highlights the cultural preservation aspect, with post-consumer ‘Mitumba’ serving as the material base for incorporating their own designs and muses into the art they make.

Documentary film maker Jaak Kilmi and his team attended the incubator project to shoot a sequel to his fashion documentary films, dubbed “Completely Out of Fashion.”

While the first version, ‘Out of Fashion,’ took the audience on a journey from Europe’s fashion stages to Bangladesh’s mass manufacturing centers, the second edition focuses on the trails of post-consumer textile waste from Europe to Kenya, as well as its potential for reuse and upcycling.

We cordially welcome you to join our cause by attending The Completely Out of Fashion Show on April 3rd from 6-9 p.m. at The Alchemist in Nairobi’s Westlands neighborhood.
From the 31st of March to the 2nd of April, a pop-up market for recycled collections will be presented at The Alchemist Bar’s Made in Kenya Store.

Both events are open to the public and are free to attend.
Completely Out of Fashion is a cooperation between the NGO Reuse and CXP Africa.
The Estonian Centre for International Development is funding the initiative, which is also supported by the European Union Regional Fund.

Collaborating partners:
Estonian Academy of Arts
Moi University, Kenya
Made in Kenya Store
African Collect Textiles
The Alchemist

Photos by Sandra Luks.

Contact:
Maria Kristiin Peterson
Completely Out of Fashion
Project Manager
maria.peterson@artun.ee

Content courtesy of Estonian Centre for International Development, European Union Regional Fund & NFH

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