Calling All Kenyan Designers: Here's All You Need To Know About The Creative DNA 2.0 Programme

Creative DNA 2.0 Kenya is a new programme supporting and showcasing twenty of Kenya’s most exciting new fashion and accessories talents, establishing them as ones to watch and supporting their creativity and talent.

The Creative DNA programme supported by the British Council is focused on promoting alternative and innovative approaches to the global fashion system. Also, with the ambition of demonstrating that the fashion sector in Kenya is a professional choice for young people and a valuable contributor to the creative economy.

These designers consist of standout emerging talents Metamorphisized, LUXATRA, TUG and more. Twenty fashion businesses have been immersed in an intensive three-month incubator programme and will receive a month-long retail opportunity, helping them with sales and promotion of their brands.

The programme will establish these designers as ones to watch and bring their talent to the forefront of fashion through knowledge and skill.

For this programme, acclaimed photographer Maganga Mwagogo and stylist Dwayne Kenzie teamed up to create three exclusive photoshoots tagged ‘Identity’. These visionary shoots investigate what personal identity and freedom mean in a post-Covid world.

Fashion has always had a strong impact on the community, serving as a canvas for expression and exploration of identities. It has for generations revolutionised stereotypical norms in societies and communities, pushing what is deemed as “normal” to new dimensions, sometimes raising eyebrows on its journey.

According to Maganga,

Fashion is a liberating form of self-expression, and Dwayne and I set out to explore and celebrate this. The styling and make-up are striking, empowering the models and enabling them to truly stand out from the crowds. They show that people can get out of their comfort zones and experiment.

The final shoot provides a more polished vision of Nairobi. It Celebrates the international sophistication and glamour found in the city, shot as the sun sets on the roof terrace of the high tech co-working space, Kofisi 9, Nairobi.

Three shoots featuring three visions of identity and modern life in Kenya. Kindly scroll down to view the photos.