Safari by Vivo: Clothing line for travellers
Safari side tie top with a wild brown cheetah print paired with black safari button up midi skirt.
Safari by Vivo is Vivo’s sister brand. Vivo was founded by Wandia Gichuru and Anne-Marie Burugu 10 years ago. Vivo has significantly grown through the years to accommodate more niches, with the launch of Safari by Vivo earlier this year being the latest milestone.
Safari by Vivo is a brand that aspires to be the leading “made in Africa” resort/travel wear brand. The line offers timeless pieces to accompany tourists, both local and foreign, of all age groups across Africa.
Left: Safari Inara crepe paired with fitted top. Right: The safari high low top paired with skinny trousers.
The brand has worked with various personalities including Sharon Mundia, Janet Mbugua, Patricia Kihoro and Pinky Ghelani. Many other travellers have also sported Safari by Vivo.
Safari by Vivo is available in all Vivo Stores countrywide. You can also find their pieces on shopzetu.com. The Safari by Vivo pieces will soon be available in hotels and resorts countrywide. We posed the following questions to Wandia and her team.
Safari Talek lap overtop paired with a safari button-up midi skirt. Right: Safari dolman sweater top paired with ladies’ denim joggers.
1 Congratulations on your recent 10 Year Anniversary of Vivo Woman. What are your 3 top business tips for creative entrepreneurs?
(a) Really understand your value proposition. What is it people love about your products or services? How is it different from your competition?
(b) Listen to feedback with an open mind. Sometimes when you put your heart and soul into your creation it is difficult to hear constructive feedback. But when you’re in business you need to take market and customer feedback positively so you can keep improving your offering.
(c) Partner with or hire people who can complement your skill set. A business needs to be strong across a lot of verticals to succeed. But we can’t all be good at everything and often the most creative people are not the best at project or financial management. So, find someone to work with who can help in those areas you struggle with.
Left: Safari camouflage drawstring shacket paired with safari ladies’ denim joggers.Right: Drawstring shacket with safari ladies’ denim.
2 Vivo has recently diversified into your sister brand Safari by Vivo. Share with us the reason behind the inception of this new line.
Kenya is known as the “land of the original safari”. Today, it is one of the few African states that offer a truly authentic African safari experience. It has the wildlife, the culture and the landscapes.
Over time, a safari experience has gone from an “underdeveloped” experience to an evolutionary one. It has spread across Africa, offering diverse and unique safari adventures in each African country. With this in mind, we saw it fit to design comfortable clothes that are easy to pack and wear. Those represent the continent’s beauty while at the same time providing convenience and style.
3 What three factors make your safari line unique?
The pieces are stylish, comfortable, easy to pack and relevant. Each piece’s prints, colour or design are a direct representation of our landscapes, the animals and culture.
4 What does sustainability mean to Safari by Vivo?
Sustainability for us means different things. First, it means building a sustainable business by putting strong foundations in place, including systems and processes that can be improved and scaled over time. It means developing strong partnerships across our supply chain and value chain. Kenya’s economy still relies heavily on local and international tourism, and so this includes supporting the travel and resort ecosystem across Kenya wherever possible.
It means sourcing as much of our materials locally and staying close to our market. It also means producing in small batches and quantities so that we limit waste and don’t over-stock. And finally, it means managing our costs and finances responsibly so that we are able to pay our suppliers and our staff consistently and on time.
A safari men’s button-down shirt in hunter’s green paired with contrasting cargo joggers.
5 What are your four must-have pieces from your current collection?
(i) Safari drawstring shacket. It is a versatile piece. It can be worn with jeans, palazzo pants, and leggings. Even when not on Safari you can wear it as an everyday fashion piece.
(ii) Safari unisex hats. They are classy and a much-needed accessory that offers protection against the varying weather conditions.
(iii) Safari ribbed tank top. It’s a handy, basic wardrobe staple that can be worn under your favourite outerwear.
(iv) Safari Inara wide leg pants. This is one of our latest pieces. It’s the perfect piece for the warm weather and effortlessly stands out. It’s also very lightweight and can be worn as a casual everyday outfit.
Hers: The safari camouflage shacket, ideal for casual everyday look, paired with safari basic denim joggers.
His: Safari men’s button-down shirt in taupe paired with matching safari unisex cargo joggers.
Which international celebrity would you love to spot wearing Safari by Vivo?
Lupita Nyong’o. She is a reflection of African beauty! We love her zeal, courage and fashion sense. She’s recently been supporting made-in-Kenya brands too.
By Connie Aluoch Styling Management Fashion Assistants: Stephanie Njoki & Jane Wanjiru Email: [email protected]
