Tinker, tailor, trendy, timeless

A critical part of a people’s culture is their mode of dressing, which speaks about their beliefs, way of life and even the environment where they live. Whereas colonisation saw many communities abandon their traditional forms of dressing, that has in no way deterred Kenyans from finding creative ways of expressing themselves through modern fashion. Today we speak to young people who are on the front line when it comes to fashion, aiming to come up with designs and dresses that will not only turn heads but also guarantee comfortability and a boost in self-esteem.

Edwin Wanjala
A suit speaks volumes about the wearer, and a well-fitting one is almost guaranteed to make a good impression. When it comes to designing bespoke suits, Edwin Wanjala, the founder and CEO of Jaycollection, reigns supreme. The final year nursing and public health student at Kenyatta University is making strides in the fashion industry.

“For the longest time, I dreamed of owning a fashion empire. In 2015, I started my clothesline with the little savings I had. However, after one year, the business had not picked up and balancing school and my passion for fashion became a challenge. I decided to defer my education for a year to focus on finding a breakthrough in my fashion business. In 2017, I relaunched my brand, Jaycollection, with the sole goal of providing quality garments,” he says.

Jaycollection is a luxurious fashion house that offers various services not limited to fashion. The company designs and makes corporate wear, wedding fits, traditional attires and corporate staff uniforms for individuals and companies for both ladies and gents across all age groups. Their fitting appointments are done in their offices located at Victoria Courts along Tom Mboya street. They also offer image consultancy by evaluating, enhancing and upgrading their clients’ appearance, behaviour and communication skills to ensure their image is consistent with their personal and professional goals. Their determination has seen them venture into celebrity styling, which is now one of their main services. They do their marketing mainly through referrals and on their Instagram account @edu_jayden.

“I consider myself a very versatile person. I call my style NCCM, where N stands for natural feeling, comfort and being able to relax in your outfit, which is very important. C stands for classic, which is about the quality and type of fabric I use for my clothes. The material has to be impeccable. The other C stands for creative. I endeavor to come up with new ideas and innovations all the time. I don’t just follow trends. The M stands for modern. Fashion has really evolved over the last few decades. New trends have come up and I focus on the modern aspect of the trade.”

Dressing appropriately is not always easy and for eons, many Kenyan men have been castigated for not dressing to impress.
“People tend to focus more on fashion as opposed to paying attention to their style and what suits their personality. Fashion changes with time, but style is eternal. In a gentleman’s closet, there are three things I consider must-haves. First is a well-fitting suit. There will always be events that call for a proper suit. Second, you need black lace- up shoes. A key principle in fashion is that it often starts from the feet up. Lastly, you need a good watch. Watches depict class and responsibility. Even if you won’t look at it, it will do a lot to elevate your style,” he says.

The growth of individual fashion houses in Kenya has been stunted due to pricing, with many local designs selling for higher prices than imported clothes. Edwins admits to this but points out that existing policies put local designers between a rock and a hard place, so they have to charge their clients more. He says there is heavy taxation on the importation of raw materials, which is eventually passed on to the consumer.

“The local textile industry is also on the verge of collapse, making it even harder to get raw materials,” he says. Still he soldiers on, and foresees opening a fashion academy and organising a fashion show in the near future.

Elvis Yanga
“I come from a family that is deemed fashion conscious. Growing up around people who care about how they look sparked my interest in this industry. I first competed at a pageant in high school, although I didn’t win. That disappointment became my main motivation to make a name for myself in fashion. Three months before sitting my KCSE exams, my collection was featured in a newspaper, and it was then that I knew that I could excel in fashion,” he says. 

Elvis Alphy is fashion stylist and founder of the Alphyye Clothing Company and Alphy Cause Foundation. He was the creative mind behind comedian Mulamwa’s outfit in the Kenya Cane Commercial that was produced last year. According to Elvis, fashion can be used to positively change the world. That is why in addition to running his clothing company, he gives back to the community through his foundation.

“I started out as a freelance model and then partnered with fashion store retailers to model their outfits and market them online. After doing that for a while, I started my own blog, Style With Alphy where I wrote about men’s fashion and lifestyle, and my personal style. When I joined the University of Nairobi to pursue a diploma in information science, I started working with Filbert Mkwiche who is the founder of Fintan Fashion and Maryanne Keseri who is the founder of Afrikeseri collection. Both designers mentored me and played a big role in helping me find my voice. When I felt ready, I changed my blog to a fashion company, Alphyye Clothing, which deals with men’s and women’s wear,” he says.

His company offers creative design, and personal, wardrobe, event and commercial styling. Just like any endeavour, starting out was an uphill task that saw Elvis work on his company during the day, then attend evening classes.

“In fashion, there is great need for collaboration, so you can’t really claim to produce unique designs. You get influenced by a lot of factors and you learn from so many people. Personally I stick to what suits my clients, and what I am comfortable with. However, you’ll find me mixing prints and infusing a touch of modernity while creating my masterpieces. When it comes to every day wear for men, I always recommend a pair of black Chino pants, sneakers, basic polo shirts, a nice watch and a baseball cap to maintain a simple yet clean style.”

Elvis says anyone starting a fashion business must have a good amount of capital. The key to success, however, is to stick to one style and avoid copying others for the sake of profits.

“Invest all your time, energy, and resources in your brand and what you believe in, and you’ll see returns,” he says.

Fridah Odunga
Fridah is the founder of Freyfhion which specialises in fashion designing and styling. She is a living testimony of how someone’s life changes when they find their passion. Her journey started at age 11. Watching her father stitch buttons greatly inspired her to make clothes for other people. Despite her passion, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in business and information technology. And when she was done, she put her degree aside and set out to conquer the fashion industry, first in Kenya, then around the world.

“I often feel like the Alexander McQueen of Kenya. I love bringing the ready-to-wear aspect in any outfit that I make because it is a crucial need that is often neglected. I remember there is a time my sister spent over Sh50,000 on one outfit which she has never worn to date. I felt that was unfair so I ensure I make items that can be worn any time, not just at specific events,” she says.

While in campus, she was always in touch with her creative side. However, she really struggled to find a tailor. She had not gone to any fashion school or tailoring course so she did not know how to sew. She now says that tailors are important because they bring life to any designer’s products.

“Unfortunately, it increases the production cost, and that has to be carried over to the client. Yet when starting out, you can’t really can’t charge high prices for your products. Additionally, sometimes the tailor doesn’t produce the outfit you had in mind. I had to enroll in a tailoring class even though that is not what I want to do.

“I don’t want someone to come to me with a picture of an outfit and tell me to sew it for them. I prefer a client to approach me with an idea of what they want, how they want to feel and achieve with the outfit and what event they plan to attend, then I’ll come up with sketches. Thereafter we can discuss to find ways of suiting their preference. Designing is  not just about tailoring,” she says.

Contrary to what many assume, Fridah believes that Kenyans do care about how they look. To prove her point, she notes that more people are hiring personal stylists to elevate their appearance when attending events.

“The first rule of fashion, don’t wear more than three plain colours. If you're wearing print from the waist up, make sure the bottom outfit is plain coloured. When wearing bold prints, the most dominating colours should be at the bottom. Additionally, there is a difference between colour blocking and color clashing. When colour blocking, aim for neon colours. Finally, women need to know that heels are always game changers. Heeled shoes bring out the beauty in an outfit. Sneakers go so well with short outfits such as short dresses.”

Fridah has watched every fashion series on Netflix and believes her inspiration to be bold in her style comes from mundane things such as buildings, how things are arranged, walking styles and even body movements. There’s so much inspiration that you can find in nature and if you’re interested in fashion, don’t be afraid to pursue it even without the support of others, particularly your parents.

“People will support you once they see what you’ve achieved on your own,” she says.

Jim Omondi
Famous for being the brains behind Sunday Hangout, a social event hosted along Thika road, Jim, a fashion design graduate from Kenyatta University, is among the most notable and most promising young names in the local fashion scene. His creativity, boldness and courage to start new things has seen his star shine even brighter.

“In my first year of university, together with three other classmates, we came up with a fashion show held every semester, and invited other students to showcase their creations. We called it the Initiative Fashion Event and it took off faster than we had expected since it was a unique idea,” he says.

“Within a short time, we created a big audience on social media and notable public figures including Nairobi County women rep, Esther Passaris, took note. I got so much fulfillment by bringing together fashion designers, models, photographers, videographers, musical artists, DJs and even dancers, all in the name of fashion.”

The Initiative Fashion event has since grown and is held in various venues around Nairobi, and has become home to a number of young models who Jim and his team trained and mentored. The event is now a modelling and marketing agency.

“I have found the Kenyan fashion scene to be very tricky. Kenyans love to not only support local products, but also look good, which as has seen more designers set up shops in town to meet these demands. However, Kenyan consumers won’t compromise on their appearance for the sake of patriotism. When you give your clients what they actually want, you’ll easily grow,” he says.

Whereas he predicts a boom in the industry in the near future, he says the mentality of Kenyans is not easy to change. He notes that many aren’t willing to put the effort required to achieve an extraordinarily stylistic look. People just wear what they find, as long as they are not naked.

“Also, many fear spending on the right kind of outfit. For anyone interested in joining the fashion space, consistency is crucial for success. Also, you have to find a way around the lack of variety in fabric and materials in the country, inadequate forums to channel grievances, and clients who want much more for less. However, these are all challenges that can be surmounted. Seeing your clients appreciate your creations will make what you do very fulfilling and worthwhile,” he says.

[email protected]