- Describe your work: What area of fashion & design do you focus on?
Vintara Collections is a bag and accessory brand that currently focuses on the manufacture of quality and functional bags using ethnically inspired fabric, which creates cultural connection and evokes elegance. Our vision is to share the African spirit, culture and love with the rest of the world.
2. What are you most inspired by and what is the core value/driving principle that leads your work?
My biggest inspiration is working with upcoming creatives (Vintara tailors) and have them share their creativity through the bags we make. This motivates me to push the bags as they not only have the African concept behind them but each sale impacts life at our workspace.
3. Has COVID-19 affected your practice as a designer and your approach to your brand?
Yes, it has. The consumption patterns have changed and now we’re focused on the new needs of our customers, which are hygiene and generation of income. As a brand, we take responsibility in our messaging and value proposition as we now communicate these two things with our customers.
4. Can you tell us about your supply chain and the materials you use?
We buy most of our fabrics from local markets such as River road Nairobi, where we buy African fabric from shops owned by Ugandans and the other bag accessories we get them from Uhuru Market such as zippers, lining and buckles.
5. What does ‘Made in Kenya’ mean to you?
Made in Kenya means products made by Kenyan workforce all the way from the designing of the product to the creation of it.
- What shifts would you like to see take place in the global fashion industry over the next 5 years?
First I’d like to see more sustainable fashion especially in regards to the environment because the textile space consumes a lot of water and the waste too is high. The use of African made fabric would be something I’d like to see in the industry.
Our social media handles are:
• Facebook: Vintara Collections
• Instagram: @vintaracollections
