9 Kenyan Clothing Brands You Should Have on Your Radar

Studio 18 isn't a singular entity, but a collective and physical design hub that has blossomed into the heart of Nairobi’s streetwear community. The creative space serves as the workshop and office for the four fashion entrepreneurs behind the popular streetwear brands Akiba Studios, Metamorphisized, Nairobi Apparel District, and Smoke the Nemesis. Since the studio’s inception in April 2021, the designers have hosted and dressed some of the biggest names in African music like Oxlade, NSG and Sauti Sol in addition to garnering high profile partnerships with brands like Jägermeister and Smirnoff. As a collective, they are most renowned for their pop-ups that double as a space for them and other local brands to showcase new collections, as well as a meeting place where Nairobi’s creative community flocks by the hundreds to connect, network, and celebrate with one another. The success of their pop-ups is in many ways a blueprint for other designers in the scene. 

Akiba Haiozi is a multidisciplinary visual artist and art-director from Nairobi. Working with oil painting, illustration, collage, film photography, and fashion, he pulls from traditional Kenyan cultural aesthetics, afro-futurism, street culture, and science fiction to craft colorful worlds and new African narratives. Founded in 2021, his eponymous clothing brand is an extension of his artistic universe. The brand is in a state of constant creation, releasing new collections every few months. His latest collection features graphic tees and hoodies with his original works, hand printed jeans and intricately patterned two pieces. 

Metamorphisized is a genderless label that strives to fuse luxury details with streetwear aesthetics. Theirs is a minimalist focus on ready to wear staples like bomber jackets, sweatsuits, bags and two piece sets made from canvas and denim. They are inspired by the image of an “afro-futuristic rockstar who pines for the comforts of home.” 

Nairobi Apparel District was founded with art, upcycling, and sustainable fabric sourcing at the heart of its approach. Hand-painted jackets, sneakers, jeans, tote bags, vests, and two piece sets reconstructed from old denim trousers. In the last year, they have embraced more graphic based designs on hoodies, bucket hats, and jerseys.

A brand by painter and visual artist Evans, Smoke the Nemesis' bread and butter is hand-painted one-of-one pieces. Though he does occasionally dabble in the realm of graphic printing and pattern cutting, Smoke’s process typically begins with sourcing stand-out pieces like jeans, jackets, and small pieces of furniture and hand painting them to create unique one-of-one garments. His style has a graffiti influence, often referencing figures from hip-hop and pop culture from Kenya and the US. 

At Odds is a contemporary lifestyle brand that focuses on detailed craftsmanship and unique silhouettes. Minimalist garments that center form and fabric selection over graphics. Signature pieces include motorcycle jackets, kanzus (kaftans), heavy t-shirts, cargo pants, t-shirt dresses, and rugby shirts. 

Zamani is the heart of Nairobi’s skateboarding community. Helmed by skater turned entrepreneur Adam Yawe, it functions simultaneously as a clothing brand, skate crew, and collective. Their mission is to develop a wholly sustainable local skate infrastructure, providing Kenyan skaters with all the necessary hardware, parts, and apparel to sustain their craft. Their clothes take a loose-fitting functional approach; baggy corduroy pants, bucket hats, graphic tees, and technical vests. They also produce skateboards, skate tools, and various skate inspired sculptures, films, and events. Their work is deeply rooted in Nairobi’s colorful urban culture, often fusing modern design with old and familiar visual references like taxi-buses, street signs, and traditional shields. 

Mvoo Wanje founded Bonkerz 11 years ago, at a time when streetwear wasn’t really a thing in Nairobi. “There was a gap of designers that saw fashion from my perspective,” he says. Their releases and intentional collaborations within Nairobi’s music scene over the years helped lay the groundwork for the robust scene that exists today. Embracing loud graphics and patterns, Bonkerz aims to tell new-age African stories. 

Pesos Nairobi was born from a desire to shift the paradigm of Kenya’s youth culture from one that culturally aspires towards the west to one that seeks inspiration from local creatives and cultural practitioners. The brand, founded by Edmound Eldridge, utilizes conventional streetwear aesthetics to make uniquely Kenyan references. 

“Kenya hosts brains that can change and shape the world in fashion and style, but our voices are not heard loud enough,” says Phillip Koth, a creative director for the brand. “We want to create a community of creatives who will break the culture free from the dimensions of the box.”