Kenyan Designers Off To London For Africa Fashion Week

Three Kenyan design houses are set to showcase their designs at Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) 2025, scheduled for August 9–10, at Space House, London.

Jamie Bryan Kimani, the founder of Sevaria, Sharon Wendo of Epica Jewellery, and Kevin Abwova of Kisero Nairobi will represent Kenya’s fashion and design industry at one of the world’s most prestigious runways under the auspices of the British Council. 

This international showcase will feature a dedicated British Council catwalk presentation and an exhibition pavilion, spotlighting some of Africa’s most innovative emerging designers. The initiative provides these designers with new international connections and access to new markets while also creating opportunities for cross-cultural learning, collaboration, and business growth. 

The Kenyan cohort is presented as part of the British Council UK/Kenya Season 2025, a bilateral cultural programme celebrating creativity through arts, culture, and education in both the UK and Kenya. 

They will be joined by seven designers from Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zimbabwe, all of whom are alumni or current participants of Creative DNA, the British Council’s fashion accelerator that has supported over 200 entrepreneurs across Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Nigeria, and Malawi since 2020. The programme fosters sustainable creative enterprise, economic inclusion, and international connections between Africa and the UK.

‘It’s great to see our Creative DNA designers taking part in Africa Fashion Week London through the UK Kenya Season 2025. This is not just about showcasing Kenyan talent. It is also an opportunity for the UK to learn from diverse approaches, ideas, and ways of working. Such exchanges are what make cultural collaboration meaningful’ stated Sandra Chege, Season Director, British Council, UK/Kenya Season 2025.

Kimani, who founded Sevaria in 2018, draws inspiration from his upbringing in Kiserian, a town located in Kenya’s Rift Valley. His designs mirror the garments worn by the Maasai community and sub-religious groups such as the Akorino from Central Kenya. Kimani’s life experiences and his drive to challenge gender stereotypes also influence his designs. 

Kevin and his father, Abwova, founded Kisero in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This father-and-son luxury brand produces handcrafted, premium leather bags, shoes, and accessories that blend timeless African heritage with contemporary global elegance. From its humble beginnings as a shoe-repair workshop, Kisero has grown into a symbol of curated African luxury, collaborating with international brands, inspiring local artisans, and telling powerful stories through their work with leather.

Wendo founded Epica in 2018 after participating in a government entrepreneurship programme. Her brand celebrates the rich diversity of African cultures through wearable art. Each piece is meticulously handcrafted, paying homage to the diverse traditions, symbols, and aesthetics of various African cultures.

In addition to the runway and exhibition, the designers will participate in UK retail stockist and manufacturing tours, offering them direct insights into ethical production practices, global fashion standards, and the dynamics of the international retail market. The cultural exchange component of the engagement provides designers a unique opportunity to explore the UK’s fashion ecosystem, encompassing supplier networks, sustainability models, and retail partnerships. 

This year’s British Council Pavilion will also look ahead to the future of fashion, showcasing where fashion meets technology. The exhibition will showcase the work of African designers and fashion weeks that are collaborating with AI labs and robotics engineers from Ethiopia’s Guzo Technologies to explore tech-enabled storytelling and virtual reality runways on digital avatars, paving the way for cross-continental virtual fashion presentations.  

Tom Porter, Country Director, British Council Kenya, said, ‘The inclusion of our Creative DNA designers in Africa Fashion Week London, as part of the UK/Kenya Season 2025, highlights the strength of cultural collaboration between our two countries. This bilateral connection creates meaningful opportunities for Kenyan talent to engage globally, gain new perspectives, and build lasting networks. It’s a powerful example of how UK–Kenya partnerships can drive creative and economic impact across borders.’

The engagement reflects the British Council’s ongoing commitment to placing creativity, cultural exchange, and enterprise at the centre of inclusive and sustainable growth across Africa and the UK. 

Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, Founder of Africa Fashion Week London, emphasised that, ‘This partnership with the British Council represents a bold step forward in our mission to elevate African fashion on the global stage. By showcasing these visionary designers in London, we’re not only celebrating their talents but also forging deeper cross-cultural connections within the global fashion ecosystem.’

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