1. Ann McCreath - Managing Director Head & Designer at KikoRomeo
"After completing fashion design studies in Rome, followed by years
working as a designer in Barcelona, Scottish born Ann McCreath took a
three-month break doing aid work in Kenya. Finding it fascinating, she
stayed on for 3 years, before deciding to go back to her profession and
do trade instead of aid. So in 1996 With a desire to help create jobs
in rural areas and make unique, high quality products for retail Ann
launched her own fashion house under the name “KikoRomeo”, which means
“Adam’s apple” in Kiswahili.. Hoping Kenyans would take pride in
African-inspired contemporary fashion, and promote their economy through
buying locally made fashion, she set about making ethically sound
products with inputs from community artisans and women’s groups, which
she retailed through her own shop. Since then KikoRomeo has continued to
offer ready-made garments, cut to international fashion trends, using
African"
2. John Kaveke
Fascinated by art and fashion since childhood, John Kaveke is an
international Kenyan Fashion Designer based in Nairobi, Kenya. He
launched his fashion label Kaveke in 2001 and is today famously known
for his trademark twist on contemporary African bespoke tailoring
style.
John Kaveke is a key figure in the fashion industry, his versatile and
inspirational collections have graced catwalks such as African London
Fashion Week (London), Sarajevo Fashion Week (Bosnia), Hub of Africa
(Ethiopia), Swahili Fashion Week (Tanzania), Uganda Fashion Week
(Uganda), M-Net Face of Africa (Nigeria), The Big Brother Africa House
(South Africa), Catwalk Kenya (Nairobi), Lake Magadi project, Festival
for African Fashion & Art (Nairobi), International Smirnoff Fashion
Awards (Nairobi) etc.
John Kaveke graduated from Woodvale Grove Fashion College in Nairobi and
pursued higher education in Fashion at the Instituto Europeo di Design
in Barcelona. John Kaveke, a bold and original thinker. He is moved by
colour, beauty, culture and lifestyle. Besides fashion, he enjoys
cycling and riding vintage Moto bikes.
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| Kikoromeo |
3. Patricia Mbela
Patricia Mbela, has loved fashion and garment construction since
childhood, at age 14 she decided that she would become a Fashion
designer. Her dream came true after high school when she went to study
Fashion Design at London’s Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design
and then on to Kent Institute of Art and Design, Rochester Campus.
Patricia started designing ethnic jewelry in 2003 as a healing and
coping technique after the death of her daughter, through illness.The
direction,change uniqueness and larger size of her jewellery came after
she lost a second child a son, through a fatal accident in 2008.
Patricia once again turned to beading to cope with her grief and began
her brand POISA. In keeping with Wearable Art her jewelry has an Avant
Garde feel inspired by the rich Kenyan beading culture, Patricia designs
have developed into a fresh style and elegant style that is uniquely
Poisa.
4. Wambui Mukenyi
Founded in 2009 the Wambui Mukenyi label is the brainchild of a self
taught designer, a true artist and a visionary. Every collection shows
the designer’s love for luxurious fabric, whilst at the same time
instilling her African heritage to produce timeless feminine and
effortlessly stylish pieces. Beginning from custom made pieces for her
clients in 2009 Wambui Mukenyi branched out into making African wedding
gowns and ready to wear cloths full of creativity and style.The demand
for her label has been soaring from then on been featured in Fashion
Magazines in Kenya. Without a question The WM Label is a statement of
fashion in contemporary life where elegance must meet the everyday needs
and brings life to any wardrobe.
5. Mohamed Bana of BANA the brand - "Mohamed Bana is a fast
growing name in east and central African fashion industry, he is the
owner of a fashion brand DALIYAH DESIGNS. His designs are the touches of
African,European and even Indian tastes"