Kenyan fashion designers are increasingly embracing AI technologies to push creative boundaries, streamline production, and expand their market reach.
“We are now witnessing not only growth but also adaptability among designers using AI. When it comes to design assistance, AI tools can help generate new patterns, colour palettes, and design ideas by analyzing current fashion trends. This is especially useful for designers looking to stay relevant and experiment with fresh concepts,” says Ria Ana Sejpal, founder and creative director of Lilabare.
Some Kenyan designers leverage AI to create personalized garments based on customer preferences, measurements, and even predicted future trends. However, for Ria, the driving force behind her work is exploring how artisan communities can thrive collectively and how innovation can push the boundaries of traditional craftsmanship.
“In Kenya, we are fortunate to have a vast and abundant ecosystem of resources. I love working with materials that are often overlooked and transforming them into something entirely new. Take this jacket I’m wearing—it’s made from pineapple waste. We fabricate materials in a way that is both innovative and accessible to local communities. Innovation has been described as a radically alternative approach to textiles, and that excites me. For instance, we dye our fabrics using botanical dyes and agricultural waste, like avocado skins, coffee, unsellable tea, and more,” she explains.
According to Ria, blending digital infusion and green technology—where designers use generative AI to create in both 2D and 3D—has significantly reduced in-house waste by up to 65%.
“It allows us to create and engineer things that would be impossible without this technology. For example, we designed block print patterns in Kenya. Traditionally, block printing is an Indian art form that involves carving wooden blocks and stamping them onto fabric in repetitive patterns. Since we don’t have block carvers here, I designed block prints using laser engravings and 3D-printed them in wood. With digital technology, we combined 11 separate block prints into a garment featuring over a hundred individual stamps—something that wouldn’t be feasible without AI,” she states.
For fans of her work, there’s even more to look forward to—her collaboration with Don Julio 1942.
“We have partnered to create something special, inspired by the drink itself. The bottle, and the smoky nature of añejo tequila—these elements formed the foundation of my design process. The collection is multi-dimensional and multi-faceted, rooted in the rituals of dressing and sacred acts like burning sage and using smoke. We’ll be unveiling it at Tribal Chic on February 8. This partnership brings together the synergies of the Lilabare universe and Don Julio, and we’re calling it Temples of the Future,” she reveals to Pulse.