Wambui Kibue @ Angelsmile House of Design |
|
What is your background? I always knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer; once I finished high school I studied fashion at college in Nairobi. About two months after I finished my diploma a close friend asked me to design and create dresses for their parents’ anniversary celebration and things really took off after that. More and more people started asking me to design and make their outfits. The business grew over ten years through bespoke work but I recently took some time out to study fashion in Milan and reflect on my designs and the business. Now I’m focusing more on ready-to-wear and developing a collection.
Who is your typical client? My clients are upper middle-class women looking for glamorous clothes with excellent workmanship. I have regular clients some of whom I've worked with over a long period of time and give me free range to be adventurous and try out different styles and techniques when I work on their pieces. Through the ready-to-wear collection I am expanding my client base and filling a market gap for sensational locally produced occasional ready to wear.
|
How would you describe your style/design work?
I've always been drawn more to creating contemporary, classic and glamorous pieces. I take a lot of inspiration from international designers in regards to new techniques like fabric manipulation. I focus on colour, details (like beadwork, draping) and great fit for my clients to know they can get garments designed similar to what they see in fashion magazines or on red carpets but produced here in Kenya. What are your ambitions? My goal has always been to build a global enterprise with a legacy that outlives me. I want my brand to be known for timeless pieces, exceptional workmanship and for the individual beauty each piece brings out in the consumer. I also want to inspire people to follow their dreams. To show that with hard work, discipline, determination and resilience dreams become a reality. More broadly, I want to see the fashion industry in Kenya become a global, billion-dollar industry. |
What has been your biggest career achievement? Running a successful design house for the past 12 years. Building a brand that is synonymous with quality, exceptional design and consistency for a growing Kenyan market.
What advice would you give to a designer just starting out in Kenya? My advice would be to first learn the fundamentals of fashion design like garment construction and textile science. Further your formal education with experience by working in a design house for at least a year before going out on your own. If you do decide to start your own line, set up clear systems, be consistent in your production and take time out to nurture your creativity.
What advice would you give to a designer just starting out in Kenya? My advice would be to first learn the fundamentals of fashion design like garment construction and textile science. Further your formal education with experience by working in a design house for at least a year before going out on your own. If you do decide to start your own line, set up clear systems, be consistent in your production and take time out to nurture your creativity.