Meet The Budding Fashion Designer Whose Designs Will Soon Be On Every Celebrity Body
A while back, I wrote an article that urged Kenyan celebrities to take a chance on fashion, experiment with the red carpet and get a unique look. Part of achieving this lies on a great designer and stylist.
The fashion industry has not yet reached the lies of Prada, Gucci or Vera Wang. But that does not mean that the fashion industry is not growing, its growing and thriving at a fast rate, Givenchy had better watch their back. We are all aware of Wambui Mukenyi who has styled the likes of Sarah Hassan and Torome Sission, but today we look at yet another budding designer Waithira Kibuchi.
The FAFA awards winner 2013 studied Fashion and Textile Design at the University of Nairobi, School of the Arts and Design. Her talent has grown under the tutelage of Ogake Mosomi, 2012’s FAFA Insight People’s Choice Award winner and she has also had the opportunity to work under and learn from renowned designer Patricia Mbela at her label Poisa, particularly on fitting and working with the African figure, as well as conceptualization.
About her muse when it comes to designing, Waithira says that:
“I find myself drawn to soft, fluid, feminine and ultra-sensual silhouettes, as well as bold colors. I like to describe my style as a cocktail of simplicity with a dash of daring and a distinctive flair for detail. Good clothes are a combination of the right fabric and color with the right cut as well as the right fit. Getting these factors right is an art as well as a science, and I’m glad that I have been trained to do so successfully. My design process is highly organized and systematic. As such, I build my collections around a central theme based on intricate research and experimentation. “
She then continues to add “I believe that the African fashion aesthetic should not be limited to the use of fabrics such as kitenge. Designers must employ any medium they feel would best tell their story. I anticipate to be amongst the emerging crop of contemporary African fashion designers who are global players; particularly, the person who will tell the story of our Kenyan heritage through fashion and textile design. I also aspire to be part of the process of reviving the Kenyan textile industry; we have plenty of local resources that we could tap into to build an ethical and sustainable fashion culture. I believe that designers have to take responsibility for their actions – we can no longer be satisfied by the mere act of producing new products. The world is trending towards sustainability in design, and I aspire to be part of that movement; constantly looking for new ways to counteract fast fashion.”
So how has her life changed after bagging the FAFA Insight Emerging designer award?
Being awarded last year’s FAFA Insight Emerging designer award has been a rewarding experience, part of my journey as a fashion designer who is going to take Kenya places. My dream is to make by brand, Qibuchi, accessible to the retail market – a feat that is by no means easy due to lack of structure in the Kenyan fashion industry. In the meantime, I am currently working on a capsule collection for the upcoming FAFA showcase, happening on the 29th of March.
