Kenya Clothes – 14 designers to watch out for

I love Kenya clothes. I love the ladies at the coast who wrap themselves in different brightly coloured Kitenge, one for a skirt, one for a shirt, one to carry the toto. I love the beads and the glittering coins of the Maasai. I love the sharp Kanga suits and the soft cotton kaftans. I love the bright colours. The prodigious use of different materials and styles from across the continent. The beads and bones and feathers and leaves that are imprinted into Kenyan clothing. I’m not always sure I can pull it off, but I love it nonetheless.

It’s no secret that Kenya clothing has taken a beating in the past. In the 1980s, Kenya’s thriving cotton and design industry steadily was crushed nearly into non-existence by the arrival of cheap western clothing shipped in from the UK and US. Second hand knock offs that stand second rate to Kenya traditional clothing.

The arrival of donated clothing that goes to Mitumba still actively hurts the Kenyan clothing industry. Before the 1980s nearly 30% of the Kenyan workforce was employed by textile factories. After a time it became apparent that Kenyan clothing industry simply could not compete with ‘free’ clothing that was being given in goodwill by the west. As the factories and design houses closed it seemed that Mitumba benefited the small time entrepreneur but damaged the Kenya traditional clothing industry. While the textile industry still hasn’t recovered, the desire for traditional clothing inspired by cultural roots is thriving. Mitumba is more affordable but Kenyan grown fashion is more desirable.

There is so much unrecognised talent in Kenya. This is a country burst with creativity but many would-be designers find it hard to get started. Raising capital to buy material, or eschewing a 9-5 job with a regular wage to pursue is a dream is something only the rich can do. This is apparent with the large number of Mzungu designers listed below.  

The best designers of Kenyan Clothes

With a mind to help promote small scale Kenyan fashion designers, I asked people on my blog for their favourites. The below Kenyan clothing and jewellery designers are included for their bold, beautiful designs that stay true to their cultural roots. Extra points if they run a sustainable, ethical clothing business as well.  

Have I missed any of your favourites? Let me know and I’ll check them out

Kimana Collective

I am a long-time lover of tie-dye and relaxed island-style Kenyan clothing. You can just tell Kimana Collective was inspired by laid back afternoons on the beach. Vivid colours and voluminous materials are transformed into dresses, kimonos, shirts and kaftans. I read an interview with the founding member, Kimana Tuller who talks in detail about her work with RefuSHe and her intention to work in a “socially responsible, ethical and mindful way”. I love that Kimana Collective isn’t just out there producing gorgeous clothing but that they work to stay true to their Kenyan roots and to consider the impact that their clothing has on their community and the planet.

RefuSHE

After reading the interview with Kimana Collective, I decided to investigate RefuSHE. RefuSHE is a nonprofit organization operating in Nairobi that specialises in supporting young women aged between 13 – 23. Primarily refugees from Somalia, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.

At the core of RefuSHE’s model is the desire to help the girls & women become self-sufficient. As part of this the women are taught, crafts, clothes making and design skills. RefuSHE’s artisan collective allows women to express themselves creatively whilst learning g a life skill. This enterprise has enabled most of the women passing through the programme to become financially independent. You can shop the Artisan Collective online here. Many companies such as the Kimana Collective above use materials sourced through RefusSHE. If you are looking to purchase a stunning piece of clothing where 100% of your money goes back into a good cause then head over to RefuSHE’s website now.

Sally Karago 

Sally Karago is a celebrity in Kenyan fashion circles and a five-time award-winning international designer. She is also a pioneer who has started a fashion school, mentors upcoming designers and created the rainbow wonder that is Sally Karago Collections. Her Kenyan clothing collection includes dresses, shirts and Aladdin pants range from easy to wear tops to fancy going out clothes. I love her Bubu dress (pictured). Sally Karago has a vast range of clothing to suit all shapes and sizes, from montone basics to gorgeous animal inspired kaftans and is heavily influenced by Kenya traditional clothes.

Kipepeo Collection

Kipepeo Collection produces the clothes I would wear if I were thin, French and fabulous. It is the epitome of chic. Structured pieces that would look equally at home on the streets of Paris is they do modelled in a Swahili doorway off the coast of Lamu. Their designs are classic, contemporary and very high quality. 

Kipepeo has an entire page of their website dedicated to social responsibility. They call their designs slow fashion and I adore the idea behind this. The thought that the fabric for each design is sourced responsibly, often by upcycling material such as leather and sails to create pieces. The team is taught new skills, which helps to ensure that they are equipped to be financially independent going forward. In addition, they can expect a fair working environment together with support for their families.  

Ali Lamu 

Ali Lamu bags are a piece of living history.  Huge, rustic, salt-washed luggage that is imbued with the spirit on the Indian Ocean. Ali Lamu makes bags in all shapes and sizes created from old and new dhow sails. Handmade on Lamu island, the material is called tanga – essentially a dhow sail that is weathered but wind, sun, rain and seawater until it’s faded into a piece of art that simply can’t be replicated by the human hand. Each sail is cut and painted to create these striking pieces, like taking a piece of the ocean with you wherever you go.  

Hamaji

Hamaji have the most exquisite Kenya clothes. Hand-stitched in Nanyuki, decorated with cowrie shells foraged from Lamu or trinkets gathered from Nomadic tribesmen in Nigeria, each item is unique. The company works with local artisans to create Kenyan clothing made from organic and natural fibres and botanical dyes. Natural materials are hand-stitched with local plants or birds or embellished with jewels and beads. There is liberal use of thick white cotton and canvas. This is the only reason that I don’t own a piece from the 2021 collection, blame it on my penchant for red wine.

Ikwetta

Ikewetta makes the most beautiful leather bags and shoes. Bright colours, organic materials, embroidered or painted with images of local plants and animals by Kenyan artisans. I covet every single item on their Instagram. They use traditional Kenyan crafting techniques married with modern design to create these fabulous works or art. They ensure their artisans have access to fair wages, healthcare, paid time-off, and a great work environment. 

Kaila Fusco

I love jewellery, my hands are forever bedecked with silver sparkles. I greedily scope out Kaila Fusco’s display cabinet in Langata Link Shops every time I visit. Like many Kenyan designers she crafts pieces using the local landscape as culture. Necklaces from cuttlefish bones, pieces sculpted using fingerprints and earrings shaped like elephants. Two of her jewellery lines go to support local conservation efforts. 100% of the profits from these lines go to The Mara Elephant Project and the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, respectively.

Afrohemia Designs

Lora Achieng’s Afrohemia brand is named after a combination of African and bohemian. I love her style; she takes simple items and gives them that hippie twist. At the moment I’m obsessing over her bikinis, but check out the kimonos, menswear, his and hers hoodies, and even the cutest baby clothing. It’s laid back Kenya vibes that I adore. She does some pretty funky streetwear that I could never pull off too.

Zuri Kenya

 Zuri Kenya is a Kenya clothes company that sums up bright, bold and beautiful Kenyan fashion. Gorgeous jewel-bright prints are turned into dresses and shirts that are rooted in traditional style. The dresses are cited as being easy to wear everyday dresses in colours that pop, but the beauties are good enough for a night out if you ask me. The company sources local products, pays a fair wage, and runs an ethical and sustainable company.  

John Kaveke

John Kaveke is a seriously cool guy designing Kenya clothes for seriously cool guys. An international Kenyan fashion designer based in Nairobi he became known for his trademark twist on contemporary African bespoke tailoring. We are talking sharp suits for men and women in local materials and slimline jackets in peacock colours. A multi-award-winning designer, he states he is moved by colours, beauty, culture and lifestyle, and it shows in his mesmerising designs.

Aman Lamu

Aman Lamu was created by Lamu resident Sandy Bornman. Her Kenyan clothing collection is taken from the salty breezes and the cultural nuances that embodies Lamu. Entirely handmade her collection includes fine silks, lightweight cotton and African Khanga. There are tons of kaftans, floaty dresses and wafting shirts. The items are perfect coastal wear, made for Lamu’s eternal summer. Day dreamy delights.

The Kenyan Design Collective

 The Kenyan Design Collective is a groovy little website that has some of my favourite Kenyan designers. I love it when guys get together and pool resources. The result is a one-stop-shop where you can drool over the Kenyan clothing and jewellery. You will also find homeware, food, art and music of some of Kenya’s favourite designers and producers. Wild Rose, La Vagabonde and Kaila Fusco are all here …

La Vagabonde

La Vagabonde does floaty Kaftans, beaded bags, sarongs sewn with shells and cotton sleeveless coats perfect for wafting around the beach. I love that they use many different fabrics and textiles in their Kenya clothes. La Vagabonde takes inspiration from all over the continent. Fabrics are sourced from countries all over Africa, and items are created with the traditional practices and cultural influences of those places in mind.

Wild Rose

My husband and all his friends love Wild Rose shirts. In Karen, Nairobi, you are hard-pressed to find a guy who doesn’t own one. 

I love that they are made from a thicker, more long-wearing, 100% cotton material than some of the thin gauzy shirts you get in Kenya. All the shirts are produced using Kenyan and Indian artisans who created the colourful and intricately patterned shirts using ancient Indian block printing methods. The company ensures fair wages and working environments for all, in both India and Kenya. 

 

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