7 Kenyan fashion designers that stand out in 2022

The fashion industry in Kenya is growing so fast and a lot of designers are really embracing innovation and therefore, stand out from the rest.

  • Hisi studio

Angela Wanjiku Murigi is the fashion designer behind Hisi studio. She designs adaptive clothing that incorporates braille in fabric to allow the Visually Impairment to appreciate fashion and feel included. Her creations challenge and inspire me to be more innovative.

  • Katush by Katungulu Mwendwa

Katungulu Mwendwa designs are very intriguing. Her work feels very unique because it is so experimental and structural. You can definitely tell there is an influence from her architectural background.

  • Ikeno Menswear

The garments are designed and hand made by a team in Lamu. The menswear collection seamlessly integrates you with the Lamu Island aesthetic.

  • Ogake Bridal by Ogake Mosomi

Ogake Mosomi is a highly skilled bridal and evening gown designer. She has designed incredible gowns for local and international high profile clients.

  • Sao Sartorial

Sao Sartorial designs are so well tailored and look amazing on every client.

  • Lilabare

Lilabare is a Kenyan clothing brand that uses recycled & handcrafted materials to create designs for the mindful individual. This brand is actively working to make fashion more sustainable while supporting the community. 

  • Muyishime

Muyishime’s Eddy Patrick is the founder of the Muyishime. The brand is known for creating voluminous, colorful yet glamourous designs.

Kenyan Graffiti Artists you should know in 2022

Graffiti art, in my opinion, is a type of art genre that feel the most liberated. The art form can take so many forms such a typography or portraiture, and still communicate the message the artist is intending to convey. Regardless of how you personally feel about graffiti art, we cannot deny the impact it has on our society. Let’s be honest, in most cases, graffiti artist say what we are thinking but too afraid to say out loud.

Here is a list of Kenyan graffiti artists you should know in 2022. Click on each name to see their work. Thank me later.

@mr.detail.seven, @kaymist4, @musasia_, @chelwek, @swift9graffiti, @bankslave, @stick_1er, @smokillah, @sermone285, @daddo_omutitii

How COVID-19 is affecting young fine artists in kenya

I recently saw a meme that said ‘welcome to April 2020, you have now arrived at level 4 of Jumanji’ i laughed so hard. If you really think about it, 2020 does feel like we are in a video game and every month has its own unexpected challenges for us to deal with. The corona virus has dramatically changed how we work, learn and interact with others. Here at the Esthete movement, we hope you are learning to cope with the changes in our society and get inspired by the artists and art we will continue to post.

 As many of you are aware, the coronavirus has drastically changed how we live our lives and will, in fact, heavily impact the world’s economy. In light of this information we decided to reach out to young artists in Kenya to find out how COVID-19 has affected their careers and how we can help them stay afloat even in these uncertain times.

One of the biggest concerns was the shutdown of the exhibitions due to the bun on social gatherings. Museums and exhibitions play a very important role in the exposure and selling of art so without them, a lot of artists will have a hard time getting any income. Another issue brought up by the artists was that they are noticing a shift in the spending habits of their customers. It seems that people are now opting to save up money or buy other products deemed essential compared to buying art as it is considered a luxury.  

“Most of my clientele are foreigners. The ban on international travel and lock-down in the country has greatly affected my business. I will be forced to venture into other side hustles to try and generate money for survival.” caleb owoko

The artists are also forced to split the little that they have between stocking up food, paying rent, art supplies, studio rent and other bills with no clear picture of the fate of their careers. 

 Essential materials to create are seemily more difficult to access. Whatever is available, has been doubled in price. This makes it even more  strenuous to produce work and affect the motivation of the artist. ‘Stay home to stay safe’ is a mantra we are well used to by now. Social distancing is very important to lessen the spread of the virus. The change in how we interact with each other will also change art as we know it. Some artists draw inspiration from human interaction and how they experience intimacy.

“movement and interacting with people has been a huge source of inspiration for my art and the lock-down as well as the social distancing has affected my work” Hanningtone

Fortunately, not all of the effects of COVID-19 are negative for an artist. A Lot of artists are using this time to create art that is true to who they are and the community around them. Creating work that is either educative or aspirational for consumers and members of their society. 

“The changes have created the perfect environment for me to expound on my research for my upcoming collection called ‘last days’. I intend to create a personal body of work that deliberately speaks about our current time and what to expect.” Andrew Chege

“As an artist, I would advise a collector to buy art created during this time because it will be of quality and have profound historical significance.” Sam Muiga

As to how you can be of assistance, there are various ways to support fine artists and they have shared a few. One of the simplest yet most effective ways you can help is to share, like, comment, re-post and follow Kenyan artists online. Whichever social media platform you use, please support all Kenyan artists to enable them to reach a wider audience and potentially make a sale.

Another is to donate money or supplies to artists.if you know any artist personally, we suggest giving them a call and find out how they are coping. 

“Financial aid  would be a big help to ensure that I continue to live my dream and work hard to produce work regardless of the situation. This will in turn allow me to prepare for what comes after the pandemic.” Taabu.E

As we are readjusting to our new norms and trying to survive, let’s not forget to check up on our neighbors to make sure they are also doing ok. Please find time to reach out and support those who strive to preserve our culture and heritage.

 

Lee Gitahi, keeping it hyper-realistic

Having been the best at drawing in primary school and high school, he was confident that university would be no different. Only to find that he was not the only one who was the best at drawing right after his first class. In response to his awakening, he spent his long holiday and the next one after his second year practicing and improving his skill. Lee became so good at painting that the lecturers threatened to expel him, accusing him of exhibiting photographs for his class project. Luckily he had documented his entire process of creating the pieces and that is what saved him. Turns out practice does make perfect, literally!

Lee Gitahi is currently the winner of the Oscar of African creativity 2019, painting category, which was hosted in Egypt. His work has been exhibited both locally and internationally in countries like China, the UK, and Egypt. His work was also featured in the Kenya art diaries 2019. While studying at the university, he was the chairman of the Exhibition Committee and is a member of the Kenya visual art association.

Inspired by the cultural diversity in Kenya, Lee’s artistic style of painting is hyper-realism with oil and acrylic paint on canvas. His intention is to portray Kenyans in their true beauty while preserving their rich cultural heritage.

My take away is that talent, skill, hard work and practice are the bigger pieces of the puzzle.

To purchase one of his pieces, email him leegitahi@gmail.com and check out his work on IG @leegitahi

Juma Byron, Believe in your Journey

When we are young we are encouraged to follow our dreams and that we are the only ones in the way of our own success. But in the midst of all the hard work, passion and sleepless nights trying to realize these dreams, it’s important that we acknowledge that no man is an island. Truth is, if it wasn’t for that one friend, family member or even stranger who believed in us and was there for us, the dream would have remained just that.

Byron Juma is a 24-year-old professional painter born and raised in Kenya.  Throughout school, he was drawing and painting. With the support of his mother, he was able to attend schools that appreciated art. Byron participated in art competitions as early as primary school, his work being published in newspapers at such a young age. He graduated to high school and continued with his passion and drive for art.  After winning art competitions, his work was also featured in the insyder magazine.

Even when Byron finished high school and decided that he preferred joining Dust Depo workshop to grow his art skill and career as opposed to enrolling in university, his mother was fully supportive and trusted him to make the right decision for his life. At Dust Depo, he began training with an artist called Patrick Mukabi, who has been a father figure, a brother and as a mentor to him from when he was young. As he continued to work, he began to interact with a photographer who also taught him photography that continues to inspire him to this day.

Byron’s artistic style of art is inspired by Hillsong united, the colors, the album covers, as well as the videos. A lot of sharp lines and geometry is also very dominant in his work. An artist named Mr. Cenzone from London is also a huge inspiration to him as he Strives to be unconventional and unique with every piece that he creates. He is currently being trained by an artist named Nelson Were.

Get in touch with him and buy his art Email byronjuma@gmail.com Check hi IG @jumabyrone for more on his photography.

Austin Ngaruiya, Art is my voice

Austin Nyaruiya is a graphic designer, painter, and sculptor who started all the way back in kindergarten with crayons, plasticine, and mud. As he got older, he began doing pencil sketches and later painting and graphic design. He now does a lot of graphic design commissions and has exhibited at Kioko art gallery and the first edition of Art fusion at the Jukwaa lounge. Austin, who signs his art as kamande, is inspired by various topics that have affected him and society as a whole. Art is his way of communicating his perspective on life and his experiences freely. The liberation that art gives him as a young person in this generation is just one of the reasons he continues to create even when his work is considered controversial.

Maasai playing trumpet

Some of the topics he speaks about involve contemporary social issues such as the “sponyo” culture, the “wannabe” culture and Nairobi nightlife. He is also passionate about the battle of identity among the African youth as they are persistently influenced by western cultures while still struggling to hold on to their African heritage. Being raised in a Christian home has influenced his work as he occasionally finds inspiration from the bible during his devotion.

Sponyo sponyo

Support young talent by purchasing his art that you can find on his Behance account @Austin Kamande, Instagram account @ngaruiya_kamande or email him kamandengaruiya@gmail.com

Dunda(kirombosi)

Delima Atieno Odindi

Above is a painting that was done by Delima that represents the transition from childhood to old age. The center focus is the old woman and the younger versions of her blurred out on each side.

Delima Atieno began her journey as an artist with watercolor paint. She later joined University to study fine art and began exploring other mediums such as acrylic paint and metal. She is a semi-realistic painter that focuses on Kenyan culture especially women from the plain Nilotes community. She is intrigued by their adornment, specifically their body art and beaded metallic jewelry. An important part of her work is communicating the emotions that women go through in their day to day lives. Delima is passionate about aesthetics, beauty, and originality which translate to her work.

Check out her Instagram account @made_by_Delima email: delimaodie19@gmail.com

Brian sawe

As it is human nature to be competitive, we tend to unconsciously strive to be better than everyone else in our craft, to be the best. This keeps us motivated and on our toes making sure we stay ahead of the curve.  The urge to stay relevant and be the most successful has become more of a priority to satisfy over happiness and fulfillment in these modern days. What a time to be alive, right?

Brian Sawe is a 21 year old artist who doesn’t study art in a traditional sense but practices it because he enjoys it. Driven by spontaneous impulses, he rarely plans out what he is going to create and allows the universe to inspire him. This is his way of making sure that his work is pure in the sense that it’s authentic and passionate. What he intends to communicate through his work is a moment that he experienced and you get to view it through his eyes.

Check out his work @sawe.sabrian and email him briansawe97@gmail.com

Moses Sabayi, life within the painting

Moses Sabayi is a 22 year old artist who not only paints but occasionally creates sculptures. In his paintings he uses blending techniques and the style realism to create his amazing pieces. Through his work he strives to encode his life experiences and the things that affect our day to day livelihood.

Here is some of his work which he has taken the time to explain.

A man is walking on a road whereby there are clocks on the paths and he is heading towards the sunset holding a bag. This painting illustrates how life is a journey through time and every time the clock ticks from seconds to minutes, from minutes to hours, it’s not time passing by but it’s our life fading away. Therefore this painting helps us understand that time is too short and as soon as we are born that’s the time we start dying, we should make every second a fulfilling life.

This painting is a story of a man who lost love and now sits in darkness all confused with roses all around.

This painting illustrates how sometimes in life we lose direction, the lady is in a dark state hence the dark background and she is facing a compass to find direction. The red drapery acts as a curtain/barrier since people at this position tend to hide their situation from others.

reach out to him and buy his art. email moses.w26@gmail.com and check out his social media page @mosessabayi

Hanningtone Okello, teaching the art

Hanningtone is a 25 year old artist who has an interesting approach to art and the industry as a whole. As most talented artist spend time studying technique and style to better their art, he went an extra mile of learning how to teach art to other aspiring artists. Hanningtone has a bachelor’s degree in education in art and design from Kenyatta University and is currently teaching at Kisumu boy’s high school.

He does caricature and illustrations and has worked for people’s daily, Taifa leo and he is also the winner of blaze creative category 2018. His passion for cartoons and art goes back all the way in primary school where he used to do sketches and doodles. While he was in high school, he used to make comic strips and pass them around class.

Reach out to Hanningtone though his email okellohaningtone@gmail.com and Instagram @hanningtone okello