Ethical Fashion

LILABARE: Redefining The ‘Dream Wardrobe’ Concept

by Natalie Kimani|07 October 201805 April 2019|Design, Fashion

Lilabare (laila-bare) is a Made in Kenya fashion brand that wants you to rethink your wardrobe goals. Founded by Ria Ana Sejpal in 2017, the brand produces clothing and jewellery with sustainability at the heart of their modus operandi. ‘Whether...

NEW TO TDS: The Signature Collection from AIRI KENYA

by Natalie Kimani|22 August 201822 August 2018|Design, Fashion

Change is the only constant. While we all commence with a set vision and narrative, those too become subject to this truth. Airi Kenya may have launched its first collection in October 2015 as a commercial fashion brand, but the...

LEANDI MULDER DESIGNS: The Art Of Kintsugi Meets Made In South Africa

by Natalie Kimani|16 August 201816 August 2018|Design, Fashion

Fashion can be a dark industry, riddled with sustainability and ethical issues. A fact that South African fashion designer - Leandi Mulder - became increasingly aware of as a fashion student. It became apparent that the fast fashion model was...

Gone Rural Swaziland Feel Good Décor

by Natalie Kimani|20 March 201720 March 2017|Design

‘Preserving the past, understanding the present and pioneering the future’. When Gone Rural (GR) was officially registered in 1992 by founder Jenny Thorne, this was its mission. To date, the brand offers home-based income to over 700 women in Swaziland;...

TDS Designer Focus: Nawalika Designs

by Natalie Kimani|20 February 201727 February 2017|Fashion

[Image: Courtesy of Nawalika Designs] In the story of fashion, accessories are said to be the exclamation point to any outfit. And if you’re looking to punctuate your style with pieces stirred by the life and scenery of the...

Dye Off: Natural vs. Synthetic

by Natalie Kimani|19 November 201619 November 2016|Features

Can you imagine the fashion industry without colour? Having a wardrobe that looks like a stuffed skittle packet has become the norm for many a shopper. And yet, many fashionistas will still wait to see what hues will become the...

Kipato Unbranded: Creating a Story of Beauty and Empowerment.

by Natalie Kimani|12 August 201621 October 2016|Fashion, Features

Why they chose the name Kipato Unbranded: Kipato: Kiswahili word for income. This underscores the social justice core of the enterprise. We ensure that our artists are empowered by their work and receive fair wages for their creativity. From its...

THE PINK SAVANNAH |From Unique Handmade Trademark to New Collections and Everything in between

by Natalie Kimani|20 July 201621 October 2016|Fashion, Features

Expression. The Pink Savannah as a brand exudes multi-layer experience. What started with beaded bracelets as a source of enjoyment for sisters Glazia and Glena, has turned to a successful brand that is clean-cut, minimalism that is also the life...

Value Chain: Design and Development

by The Designers Studio|21 October 201521 October 2016|Business

As a way of analyzing your fashion business's capability of being efficient and sustainable as well as competitive, you must look at your business value chain. A value chain is the full range of activities like design, production, marketing and...

Fashion Revolution Day #InsideOut in remembrance of Rana Plaza Building Bangladesh

by The Designers Studio|23 April 201423 April 2014|Africa Feature, Events

It’s been one year since the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh killing around 1,130 people who had been ordered back to work even after huge cracks were discovered in its walls. This spurred the ethical fashion discourse...