Kenya’s Hottest Fashion Designers

Kenya is experiencing something of a creative explosion in the fashion industry. This month we are lucky to have two great fashions shows bring some of East Africa’s top talent to the catwalk. The 29th of May we have the 5th edition of the Fashion for Peace Gala presented by the Festival of African Fashion and Arts (FAFA) and on 8-10th of May East African Fashion Week (EAFW) kicks of with a pan-African outlook. Meet some of the designers.

FAFA
i am i
Many creatives venture to other fields only to return to their true calling. Such is the story of Ami Doshi. A recipient of a Distinction in Foundation in Art and Design and a BA (Hons) in Jewelry and Silversmithing, Ami spent almost ten years in advertising and marketing – only to return to her true passion, jewelry design. Her influence is from her heritage, both Kenyan and Indian. Ami’s versatility is shown in the mediums she uses to create her jewelry such as ebony, brass, leathers and feathers. “The African influence is the material and the scale, how exaggerated
things are, and tribal jewelry. The Indian side has to do with the attention to details, the way things are put together, the theatrical side of wearing jewelry,” she says.

KikoRomeo
Ann McCreath, founder and leading designer of KikoRomeo, received a General Arts Degree from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and a First Class Degree in Fashion from Koefia in Rome, Italy. She then spent five years doing a classic training in the discipline of ‘haute couture’ in the fashion houses of Rome, Milan and Barcelona before becoming disillusioned with the European fashion scene. She was determined to find a way of incorporating her extensive fashion training with the means of creating long-term community support and employment in Kenya. To this end, in 1996, she set up her first workshop and showroom in Nairobi. KikoRomeo has shown in many international fashion events around the world, and was winner of the 2010 International Creativity Award in Noto, Italy. Ann was a finalist in the Ethical Fashion Source Awards in London 2012, and was listed in Arise magazine’s 100 Most Influential Women in Africa.

Anna Adero
Anna A. Adero, founder and leading designer of Green up Kenya has been in the fashion industry a little over 10 years. Her love for fashion started when she was a little girl while watching her mother who created fine custom clothing for selected clients throughout Nairobi and as she grew up she remained interested in fashion deciding to persue it as a career. Since Anna graduated, her work continues to be featured in numerous shows around Africa. The brand ‘’ANNA ADERO’’ specializes in alternative bridal gowns and menswear in denim and cotton-based fabric. She develops her own textiles using tie and dye, bleaching and macramé and has recently introduced ‘’ THE GREEN COLLECTION’’ which specializes in recycled products.

Jamil Walji
29 year-old Jamil Walj is born and raised in Kenya and currently lives in Nairobi. He graduated in 2009 in Limkokwing University of Creative technology Malaysia and was awarded a Presidential award for excellence being one of the best in Fashion and Retail Design. He became a lecturer in fashion and retail design in Limkokwing Malaysia and later decided to start his own brand and move back to Nairobi. His designs are very innovative and creative with a touch of my unique fabric manipulation techniques. His work exhibits elegance, sexiness and variety in terms of design and fabrication. “I feel there needs to be a change the perception of fashion in Africa as it displays encouraging potential to become a trend setter like Europe. Therefore I intend to create designs that are translated from European cuts with a touch of Africanism resulting in unique and diverse designs,” he says.

ZarAzra
Azra Walji is a young talented Kenyan designer, who graduated from Limkokwing University of Creative and Technology in Malaysia. Her collaboration label of high end fashion invites people to try new things in fashion. “Pushing boundaries for the sake of self expression, I strive for each of my projects to reflect my passion and dedication to my career and my clients,“ she says. Her collections boast of chick stylish wear with simple silhouettes, glamour, sophistication and elegance through its signature of details embellishment, rich colored fabric and hand printed uniqueness of contemporary, ethnic fashion.

 

By Anyiko Owoko & Joseph Kibiru