Wambui Kibue wants you to dress up and look special
Over the years, the Nairobi fashion scene has undergone a metamorphosis of sorts. More Nairobians are sporting locally made, colourful designs in fabrics ranging from vibrant lessos to delicate silks tailored by their favourite designers.
Angelsmile was started in a rather casual manner. “It actually started as a kind of joke. My friend’s parents were celebrating their 25th anniversary and I asked if I could to do their dress to which they agreed,” she says. “It is exactly what I wanted to do, thus Angelsmile, the company, was born.”
Her strategy sounds simple. An Angelsmile design begins at her studio in Nairobi South C’s Midland Estate, with an idea of what she wants to convey. After this, she does some sketches, picking out colours and fabrics, which she sources from local vendors. “My designs are pretty much an extension of me; my way of sharing my views, ideas and perceptions of the world,” she says. "I use as much colour as possible because it brings out a bolder, more playful version of everyone."
Seems the pieces are a breath of fresh air for the local fashion industry. They combine the elegant, elaborate pieces seen on Hollywood’s red carpet with the dramatic yet easy-to-wear outfits that dominate the African fashion scene.
It is the awe-inspiring reaction she gets from her clients that maintains Kibue’s passion for fashion. “It’s an amazing feeling. Nothing beats bumping into someone wearing an Angelsmile design or knowing that I was able to create exactly what a client wanted or more,” she says. “Once a client was so happy with a piece that I had done for her that when she came in for her first fitting, she refused to take the dress off! She just kept twirling in front of the mirror in the unfinished garment that had pins and all sticking out of it,” she said.
Certainly a go-getter, Kibue embodies all the characteristics of an ‘Angelsmile’ woman. Her clothes reflect her sense of style – be it the most elaborate of her fashion pieces or a carefully accessorised jeans-and-vest ensemble.
But even she sometimes makes fashion faux pas. “My biggest is wearing neon pink-red lipstick with a horribly bold line of black lip-liner around it,” she says with a giggle. She blames the ‘mistake’ on the early 90s which were infamous for having, in her own words, the worst fashion trends ever, including MC Hammer pants and flannel shirts, not to mention those velvet hair scrunchies!
In an industry where change is the only constant, this 27-year-old entrepreneur is able to keep up with evolving trends by using what she describes as erratic contradictions. “I am always changing different aspects of myself.” Her diploma in fashion design and another in business management have played a key role in her success. She is currently pursuing a degree in mass communication from Daystar University in Nairobi. “A lot of ‘unconventional’ professions need a good amount of hype from the media and communication world in order to get off the ground, hence my interest in mass communication. I want to be able to carefully create a buzz around Angelsmile so as to draw in more clients. My designs speak for themselves.”
Kibue says her designs cost anywhere from 6,000 shillings upwards – targeting those she describes as “upwardly mobile, female clients with a disposable income.” Her clothes can also be purchased at her outlet in Embassy House, Stall G12.
She is inspired by glamour, and her constant aim is to ‘Angelise’ the fabulous and focused, fashion-forward female who likes to dress up and look special. “The Angelsmile woman is a go-getter!” she says.
