Angela Ciruma

Fashion Stylist Angela Ciruma, is passionate about Kenyan fashion 

| Evans Habil | Nation Media Group

Styling Governor Anne Waiguru for her 60 days’ campaign was a unique experience

What you need to know:

Angela Ciruma styled Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru for her 60 days’ campaign in support of Kenyan designers


It is hard to tell Angela Ciruma’s story without describing her wardrobe. It features a mix of clothes of cool colour palettes arranged depending on events and occasion—formal or non-formal. Short and long.

For this interview, she is wearing a black deep V-neck jumpsuit with a palazzo cut and a custom print layered over a white bell sleeve shirt.  “I am very particular about what I wear,” she shares. She has a dislike for light bodycon dresses and lipstick that doesn’t marry into her skin tone.

Angela is a fashion consultant often referred to as a fashion stylist.

For more than a decade in the fashion industry, Ciruma has heard this one constant question in all its forms.  “So are you a designer?” Or this one: “So you make the clothes?” Or: “What exactly does your work entail?”

“It is a pertinent question especially from quarters who do not understand what the field entails. They wonder why one requires the services of a fashion consultant when the very act of shopping and dressing is not a technique which in essence, it should be,” she says.

Her work, Ciruma explains is like that of a copy editor. “A designer or my personal clients will tell me what look they are hoping to achieve and I help them to actualise it or advice on something new. It takes time and a lot of analysis to achieve this.

 Ciruma’s passion for fashion started way before she enrolled for an undergraduate degree in fashion communication and styling at Middlesex University, London. During talent shows at her alma mater, she was the go-to person for styling tips.

“Interestingly, we used to wear the same school uniform yet my peers acknowledged my taste for fashion. I don’t know why but maybe it has something to do with the fact that I had dozens of fashion magazines that I read during my downtime,” she offers.

Immediately after secondary school, she pitched for a fashion editor position with Sikika Youth Magazine and got the job. Over the years, she has worked as a brand ambassador, fashion assistant, project manager, fashion brand hunter, consultant, and wardrobe manager winning accolades along the way.

 “Under the umbrella of fashion consultancy, I offer services such as fashion styling, editorial styling, runway styling, personal styling, personal shopping, promotion of fashion brands, and project management. These roles bleed into each other that's why I refer to myself as a consultant because one day I am managing wardrobe for films, and the other day I am shopping for clients.

 Talking about customers. A few months ago, I got an unlikely client. I recall receiving a call from my mentor who said that she wanted to recommend me to style someone.  Normally, when I get clients for individual styling, we have an inception meeting to discuss what they want to achieve.  This is because the course that I offer encompasses many elements of fashion. While some take up the entire course, others go for parts of it.  Consultancy start at Sh15,000 depending on one’s needs.

 So, for this particular customer, we did not have a prior meeting and I was getting information such as measurements through her team. It was a Kenya hustle campaign— clothes made in Kenya or sold by Kenyan fashion entrepreneurs.

 When I delivered, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was Governor Anne Waiguru,” she says.

Earlier, Waiguru had posted on Facebook that she was going to support and celebrate Kenyan style and creative hustle. “Every day for the next 60 days, I will share photos of me dressed in ‘Kenyan styled’ attire; from thrift "mitumba", your local Fundi to Kenyan designer wear.”

Ciruma describes her experience working with her as unique. “When I got the measurements through her proxy, they were not very accurate so some of the outfits I had got did not fit her. Luckily, I was able to get the sizing myself.  The challenge that I had with this project is the fact that Waiguru is a notable personality. There is an image that people have of her —her fashion style. I didn’t want to change that but accentuate her style. As such, there was a lot of shopping and research. Thankfully, she was delighted with most of the pieces. Notably, I am much intentional about promoting Kenyan brands and this is actually what I wear almost all the time. Even my jewelry is by Kenyan designers. Our designers are doing a fabulous job and we need to support them by buying their products,” she offers.

Tips

1.       Buy your clothes depending on the widest part of your body.

2.       Have a reliable tailor who understands your style and personality.

3.        Don’t shop by the trends because they don’t last long and most importantly, they are not for everyone.

 


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