Once the crown jewel of East African couture, the event is being reborn with a deeper purpose: not merely to showcase fashion, but to question, redefine, and celebrate Kenya’s cultural and creative identity in a global context.
With the theme “Kenya Redefined,” this year’s edition poses a bold question do we, as a nation, have a fashion identity? And if not, what should that identity look like in a modern, multicultural Kenya?
The Kenya fashion week preview gathered the industry’s most influential voices designers, stylists, entrepreneurs, and cultural advocates each representing a vital piece of the evolving puzzle that is Kenya’s fashion future.
Brian Kihinda, founder of the Kenya Fashion Council, believes that the comeback should be more than a nostalgic revival.
“We must promote our cultural ethos, values, and fabrics, the future of Kenyan fashion lies in fabric development and sourcing, areas that form the bedrock of national identity,” Brian says.
He envisions a time when Kenyan textiles woven, dyed, and designed locally stand shoulder to shoulder with global brands, carrying a story that is proudly African.
But identity, as Wanjiku Angela Murigi, founder of Hisi Studio, reminds us, cannot thrive without inclusivity. Her studio is pioneering designs that cater to the visually impaired, expanding the definition of beauty and participation.
“We must ask who is being left out, fashion must reflect every facet of Kenyan society embracing disability and diversity not as an afterthought, but as an essential thread in the nation’s creative tapestry,” She says.
Tatiana Teixeira, founder of Afro Wema, brings another perspective, collaboration.
“We need synergy, pointing to the industry’s fragmentation. Designers often operate in silos, yet collaboration is the missing link that could propel us into a unified creative force.” Tatiana says.
Beyond conversations, anticipation is high for what this year’s runway will unveil. Is it bold reinterpretations of traditional fabrics, modern silhouettes fused with heritage prints or eco-conscious collections celebrating sustainability?
As the lights rise on Kenya Fashion Week 2025, it is clear that this is more than a fashion show, it is a cultural rebirth. Twenty years later, the baby has grown, and so has Kenya’s fashion dream rooted in identity, shaped by inclusion, and driven by a vision of a proudly Kenyan aesthetic ready for the world.