Anyango Mpinga is a Kenya luxury brand owner and designer of her self named brand. Having launched in 2016, the brand, Anyango Mpinga aims to shed light on the rich multicultural Luo and Sukuma heritage. 

A conversation with the lovely, Anyango Mpinga. 

How old were you when you first sketched a design? What was it, if you recall? 

My first sketch was actually quite passive when I think about it as I wasn't really trying to be a designer when I was younger. I was very artistic so I always had paints and colors. I was obsessed with Mickey and Minnie Mouse when I was younger and one of my childhood neighbors who was a lot older and actually my sister's friend used to draw Mickey Mouse posters and sell them to friends or stick them up the wall. they used to have different messages such as "I love you or I miss you" so I started drawing these characters as well and their cartoon character outfits. When I was cutting up my mom and sisters dresses to make clothes for my dolls I wasn't really sketching, I just made things up as I went along from one of those catalogues that my mom had. I won numerous Art competitions after that all the way through primary and high school including an Egytian Art competition where my drawing was the best in the District. In my mid 20's I started collecting fabric and designing outfits and having my tailor make them. However, this was something I did for fun. It must have been 2010 when one of my friends insisted I make her a dress and she would pay me if I sketched my first professional design for her. 

You launched Anyango Mpinga Nairobi in 2015, how have things been thus far? 

It's been quite an interesting journey for me. There are so many things I have done and so many wonderful experiences that I could never have imagined for myself. When I was starting out I had this hang up that I couldn't make it in fashion because I didn't have a Fashion Degree ( I have a BA in Social Communications ). So many people I had reached out to early on in my journey to mentor me and guide my journey had also perpetuated this message so I was really doubting myself. And then one day after a conversation with some friends who had seen some of my samples and invited women to pay me a visit at home and who ended up making so many orders, I realised that I was actually good at designing. It was then that I decided to silence the voices of the non-believers and my journey has been nothing short of amazing! 

What inspired the brand, Ayango Mpinga Nairobi? 

A lot of it is my relationship with my own identity as a curvy, tall balck woman trying to find clothes that were flattering for me, in my size and in silhouettes that were different from what you find in the market. Story-telling was also an important part of the brand for me. I wanted to make sure that I could tap into my cultural heritage to show a different side of Africa through textile stories based on African culture.

During that following year, 2016, you unveiled the Proverbial Dreamer collection. A female driven campaign, speak a little on its inspirations and impact. 

Well for one, I'm a dreamer so that collection was for women like me who have dreams. When designing that collection I was visiting my mom's house when she pulled out my favorite dress when I was three years old. There was also a photo of me wearing this dress at my nursery graduation and it got me thinking about how the dreams of that little girl were reflected in the women I had become. I started thinking about my identity, and how different African cultures mark their own identity when you think of a young girl transitioning into becoming a married woman, giving birth or even a sign of where they come from. From it I drew inspiration from scarification patterns and the tribes that practice this culture and the different reasons why it is an important part of their cultural identity. I went as far as designing prints inspired by these stories collected from different tribes. 

How would you define your designing technique? 

If any at all. Pulchritudinous! That's just a fancy way of saying beautiful and I say that because it has everything to do with my idea of beauty. I love the fact that within my design process I can show beauty in different forms. I show cultural beauty, the beauty of women in different skin tones, shapes and sizes, the beauty of innovation. 

As a Kenyan luxury brand, who have been your most frequent customers? 

My customers have spanned far and wide beyond Kenya.They have been stores and they have been independent women. 

How involved in the production process are you, and what is your favorite part of the process? 

My favorite part of the design process is actually sitting next to the pattern maker or the seamstress while she makes the first prototype and watching it come to life. I'm very involved in the process, so much so that the factory I work with overseas often has a desk for me to work from for a few weeks during the production process. 

A champion of circular fashion, this is showcased in your work. Where does this come from? Have you always viewed fashion in that light… 

Circular fashion basically encapsulates sustainable, slow and ethical fashion. I've always been conscious of the impact of my brand on workers who make the clothes, the environment and the consumers. This means that where possible, I upcycle and give old raw materials a new life, I use organic environmentally friendly materials and only work with suppliers who prioritise the environmental and social impact their facilities have on their immediate communities.

Who is your muse when you design? 

I have had so many muses. They tend to be powerful black women who have used their voices to effect social and even global change. Dr. Maya Angelou, Aretha Franklin, Angela Davis and Michelle Obama have all been women that inspire me to continue thriving and making a positive impact on my local and global community through my work. 

What are the underlined prerequisites for Anyango Mpinga Nairobi? 

In terms of design I think of function, ease of wear, quality materials and stitching, ethical manufacturing and size inclusive design. 

What has been your most memorable fashion designing experience to date? 

There have been several to be honest. Each collection presented a world of delight for me. I have to say though that last year being a top finalist and nominee at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards during Milan Fashion Week an Awards having been the only Africa to be nominated for this Award, a night with some of the worlds biggest celebrities such as Colin Firth ; a night which honored some global fashion giants such as Valentino and Sophia Loren all of whom were just a stone's throw away from me. Now that was a magical night that I will never forget! 

How was the Fashion and Cultural Exchange Africa-Japan? 

This collaboration for Tokyo Fashion Week was amazing. They selected and invited three designers from Africa and I just happened to be one of them with the other two coming from Nigeria and South Africa. The cultural exchange and learning from Japanese creatives was an exceptional experience for me. I also got to work with some of the best producers to create my showcase, which was themed around the Soul Train and for the first time ever in Tokyo, they experienced a 70's style fashion presentation with women dancing and enjoying themselves in my clothes. 

Beyond fashion, you’re a massive advocate for women, specifically those who have survived the horrors of human trafficking. Speak a little on ‘Free As A Human’... 

‘Free As a Human’ is something I'm really passionate about and this is driven by my desire to use my work as a platform for service. It's currently a non-profit officially registered in the US and soon in the UK as we will be working with partners in both countries to create an apprenticeship and education program for female survivors of trafficking. The goal is to empower women with skills they can use to improve their access to education and professional skills through our partners. 

Who was your biggest inspiration growing up?

My mom, followed very closely by Oprah Winfrey. My mom is an incredible woman and she's also quite funny, I get my quirky sense of humor from her. And as for Oprah, I grew up watching her shows and one day I was inspired to write to her fan mail and guess what, she responded and sent me an autographed photo. You can imagine my excitement when I showed the letter and photo to the kids in my class! 

Who is your biggest inspiration at the moment? 

Still my mom, Oprah, and then add to that Michelle Obama, the late Dr.Maya Angelou, Angela Davis and Aretha Franklin. 

How important is environmentalism to you and how do you represent it in your work? 

It's interconnected with everything I do. Respecting the environment is a human rights issue. It's the air we breath, the water we drink and the land that feeds us so respecting it should be everyone's priority. In fashion, it's making sure we don't produce more than is needed. I currently work on a pre-order system meaning I produce mostly what people or customers want. I also make sure that the dyes used in my production process are environmentally friendly because these dyes go back into our oceans and eventually back to us. I recycle and upcycle where I can, it's important to find ways to use what is considered as waste and give products a new life. 

What are the major changes in the Nairobi fashion industry that you have witnessed throughout the years? 

The positives and the negatives...An appreciation for the creative industries and the growth of innovative solutions for consumers had been incredible to watch. I love how consumers take pride in wearing Made In Kenya, something that wasn't very common to see ten years ago. People are also starting to treat fashion as the sustainable industry that it is, rather than a hobby or side hustle. 

What role do you think East African fashion will play in the overall rise and celebration of African creative content... 

I believe that we can't really put East African Fashion in one category because when you look at the countries that form East Africa, there are several cultural influences that creatives identify with so it would be unfair to classify East Africa as a group. I much prefer an appreciation of each individual country and what they have to offer in the fashion through cultural identity as it is really what will make our countries' industries grow; an appreciation of everything that we are and our uniqueness.