CROSSROADS

There is never a more opportune time to do anything than when the opportunity first presents itself; after that the task just joins the long list of procrastinated goals or forgotten dreams...SOB! I have been putting off this post for several reasons, mostly because I was waiting for a sign in the form of a big white flash of lightning or whatever to come forth from the sky and show me the way! As you can imagine there hasn't been any... but there have been signs all over... Like this one:

Folks, I am at a crossroad but at the risk of sounding grim I must say- it has been good while it has lasted... The journey continues, the race more certainly will be ran; for there is a purpose for everything. (You know you are getting mushy when every sentence sounds poetic) But if poetry is what it will take then so be it! Anyway, its Christmas and I must trust that Jesus will quite literally, 'show me the way'. Earth n Vanilla has had a great run wrought with some serious challenges but nothing that a sound prayer could not fix. I thank you for your support, I certainly would never have come this far without this virtual sounding board to which I brought my triumphs and troubles, highlights and downfalls. As I enter the New Year... I ponder "To Be or not to Be"... That is the question...

And Thanx 2the age of "Google" and a random search.. I stumbled upon something that could help...http://bjovanovic.wordpress.com/

QATS NEW LOOK

They say change is like rest...

I say, who has the time to rest anymore? Certainly not me...!
I have had a couple of interesting paradigm shifts of late, some interesting encounters... but I guess you will have to visit again to hear more on that...Anyway, I figured somethings had to change...

It's been alot like emerging from behind a tree, coming out from under "the shade", emerging from under the "kivuli" to reveal a whole new bold approach to life. Here's to emerging from under shadows- to embracing new beginnings...

I hope you will enjoy this new look as much as I already do...More updates and a spanking new collection coming your way soon!!!

QAT'S PLAY DATE

All work and no play makes Qat a dull gal! So today I decided to play dress up... I made this playsuit for the Runway 254 show, but I decided its going to have to find a home in my personal wardrobe. Today I dressed it up with big statement jewellery and decided that I was going to take on the tall order of modelling it.

HAHA!
Twas lots of fun experimenting with make up and poses, so I know a tiny winy bit of what models go through when doing photoshoots... What makes this play date so memorable is that sometimes you have got to let off some steam and not take things too seriously. This Saturday, take that playsuit for a walk and have fun with it!

KALASHA DEBUT

The Kalashaz just happened, and today the verdict was out. I had always wanted to dress somebody for such prestigious awards for the longest time and I finally got a shot last Friday! All factors considered I am so proud of the result. Only a designers knows what another goes through to put anything out there. Here's a sneak preview of the dress.

Our collaboration produced this fabulously rich blend of orange 'kitenge' and taffeta dress with a full skirt modelled after the one carried in my latest collection. I always strive for a touch of drama with every dress, here it is achieved with the dramatic cossage. It is not for the faint hearted and I am certainly glad to push the envelope of any imagination every now and then. Enjoy!

RECENTLY GRADUATED!

I struggle with the words to define the exhilaration I felt when I finally heard my name called before thousands of people (who did not know who I was or were probably  not even listening). I felt that I surely had risen above and beyond adversity, all the drama of juggling balls all through campus life;  the business, the fashion, the design, the course work, the papers, the events! Sometimes I thought I would drop dead from the stress- my chest would often constrict from the pressure of light meals, no meals, running all over and the inevitable transnighting. Little did I know that campus living was just bootcamp.

Friends, I am officially Recently Graduated and Newly Acquainted with the Ways of the Real World; like how to sit through three hours of traffic every time I venture into town from our sleepy satellite town off Mombasa road. The stuff few people ever really tell you- that it never really stops, just gets busier- and am not complaining, the Rat Race continues and am chasing my cheese or might I add- My Geez, like my life depends on it (because it does!) Wish me luck!!!

Nostalgic

If somebody told me that I would be nostalgic about my days on campus after nearly two months in the "real" world I would have laughed out loud in their face (u know that smattering laugh that lends a lot more than was desired) that one! Yet that's what am doing at my image in the mirror, am finding it very funny that I miss the "good life". Low cost living, cheap thrills (like icecream Sundays and Saturday siesta- where u really never get up after Friday night thrills); rice with pretty much anything and the occasional junk food inhouse party. Lakini most of all, I miss the guys with whom I burned the midnight oil or toiled through scorching hot days with- good times. Incidentally, I choreographed this picture to represent a feeling of nostalgia, from the sepian tones to the monochromatic colouring; the setting and the models pose.

The dress itself came to me on the morning of the debut of my second collection, I made it in a record two hours though the idea had been cooking in my head for like the longest time. The low cut back is a representation of the freedom that confidence can avail when you finally come into your own. The successful blend of kitenge and jersey made this one urban number I would love to have in my wardrobe. The jewellery is a combination of grey and black cut glass with ceramic beads and beautiful buttons. The monochromatic blend of fabrics and jewellery was a deliberate attempt to bring to life a sepian theme, "In hind sight". I love that the dress can switch from various settings effortlessly- wedding ceremony, cocktail party or night out; an ideal addition for a fast-paced multifaceted lifestyle.

254 FOR 254

As the world marvels at Kenya's outpouring of generosity and humanity towards the hungry in The North and Far East of the Horn of Africa, I am deeply moved at the apparent "humane-ness" of the Kenyan people. I myself have dialled triple 1 triple 1 several times, I guess that means I have contributed to this amazing kitty. Kudoz to you if you have.

When I was starting off this journey of enterpreneurship, I had hopes of realising some form of "financial independence" without formal employment. However, research has shown that it takes some businesses over two years before they can begin to rip profits during which time many businesses fail because proprietors simply give up or are incompetent. I have made several confessions on this blog and I am about to make another few...

I guess I can say that coming this far was by far an act of grace from God, who continued to open doors and windows; especially when I was about to throw in the towel. Fashion is a challenging yet fulfilling career, but it takes a lot of heart and passion to remain straight faced in the face of adversity. This is where I count my blessings; thank you God for keeping me alive when I have ventured into the dark and mysterious allies and streets of Nairobi's downtown... Thank you also for protecting me in the face of bandits on several unfortunate occasions... Thank you also for providing for me when I exhausted my puny student's allowance in the name of "investing it in my biashara"- for covering my losses... For giving me the strength to keep going when exhausted, I skipped meals to cover errant costs...- for all the meals I can now graciously partake.

Today I have learnt a very important thing; that even in the most grim of circumstances- I must count my blessings and remember those who do not have half of what I do...By surviving bouts of brokness as a student entrepreneur, I cannot pretend to know the sorrow and suffering of the hungry Kenyan; but I can empathize; and do what I can to help change the course of events.

Allow me to draw your attention to another demographic that is earning less than a dollar a day and is at risk of going hungry in the current economic climate. I guess what I am  trying to say is that there are a lot of young people out there struggling to make an honest living, to pay the rent, to put food on the table and to avoid trouble. Let us support them too, let us not forget them either; so that they too can be encouraged to be part of the solution rather than yet another problem.

So the next time you huggle down prices at the local thrift market, consider that perhaps a family of five or ten needs to be fed; so pay for services provided to you duly and don't be too stingy with that 10bob (u know the one you practically wrestled out of the kangez hands)... Give it to Kenyans for Kenya and atton for your sins of omission... just a thought!

BREATHE OF FRESH AIR

My good friend Lynn called me up sometime last year, she needed a whole wardrobe for The Miss USIU Pageant and I was soooo honoured. We literally sat in the streets of Nairobi and plotted a winning wardrobe; it was one of those challenges that I relish though at the time I had never taken on anything like it. We came up with a flowing gown of silky sky blue and white- the milk, and brown and gold swirls - the honey...I just love the hounds-tooth undertone and swirly linework that has come to be the highlight of my "Milk and Honey" Collection. To me this dress represents a breathe of fresh air!!! The flow of it, the colours, the layers and the fit; these are the things I love to bring out in my clothes. I just wish it fit me... Enough said!

Worn here by the lovely Ann Masibo, in my former backyard, edited by yours truly...
And below, at the Runway 254, worn by Sally who might I add rocked it! Photo by Nick Klaus who captured it from a really nyc angle.

God Bless you all, time to exhale, hoping to excel!!!

SWEET SORROW

YES- Fashion has an ugly side!!! U.G.L.Y- I said it! Very very ugly. Sleepless nights, harsh critics, less than enthusiastic reviews, horrible clients, bad days, back stage madness... The list goes on and on and on... I have seen several horror stories unfold right before my very own eyes- busted seams and gapping zippers, corsets getting stuck in hair (on a model several inches taller than you- the poor dresser), tiny dresses (wharrr!!!!), tiny winy models (ala!) hehehe. Then there's what I experienced 1st hand in Rwanda, a serious language barrier!


Below, from humble beginnings ( a raw picture always helps to put things in perspective)

Backstage at The Afro Fashion Festival (A.D.D)

Backstage at The Citizen Fashion Show Season 1!

(Cheers to Sharyn Odipo, the model who held it down in this airtight dress, to say the least)

I have got to tell you the stuff that goes on backstage is too "unfunny"; i used to laugh at how high fashion designers would be revealed at runway shows looking miserable, disheveled hair, sweating forehead, worried look - that was until that disheveled designer became me. Now I don't find it funny anymore, now its just histerical, i believe the word is "SWEET SORROW"!!! And a midst all this craziness, friendships are made; bonds are formed; resolutions are sworn (i dare say curses and insults are hurled) and sure enough rivalries are formed. In a perfect world, it would still happen all over again- So cheers to the Sweet Sorrow that drives my passion (smiles and kisses!)

Stay tuned for more backstage madness- I would love to laugh n cry with u as I take on the world, so do join me on my journey of new perspectives!!!

A PILGRIMAGE OF SORTS, PART I

I am a firm believer in a certain school of thought; that nothing ever happens by chance. You’ve probably heard it said a zillion times and now, you are probably thinking, what’s new? Well, a paradigm shift for starters…Take for instance what shall forever remain my point of reference, at least until I globe trot again, but here goes- Rwanda. I cannot stress enough how much of an eye opening experience it was. Let me put it in perspective for you my fellow mwananchi…

You come from a fledging economy you have been made to believe is the golden egg of the Eastern Peninsula; you believe that with its expansive coastline and an open gateway to the rest of the world you are better placed than anyone living in a small landlocked country in the middle of the African continent. You see yourself with certain prejudice; you are educated, you speak three languages- may be more(Kiswahili and English and a little of your mother tongue). You have also travelled widely, or at least you have made frequent trips to the Coast, to Naivasha, to Maasai Mara, you have been to the border at Namanga; you get my drift?

Then you pull up into this grand city in the middle of nowhere, and somebody whispers in your ear- This is the “Village of Kigali” and it looks like that too. What with the modest housing along the narrow road just as you pull up into the city. Then you get off the bus, get into a cab and set off to explore the rest of this foreign country. All of a sudden, this beautiful city with pristine highrise apartments and huge hillside mansions opens up before you. A number of large green well manicured roundabouts open up before you, the streets are cleaner than the pavement in your garden back at home; it is unbelievable how this terrain of interlocking hillsides can give rise to such a civilized neo urban establishment.

It is rush hour when you leave the cozy villa that houses the restaurant where you have just enjoyed a palatable buffet of East African dishes; there is a light shower and the low lying dark clouds make the sky seem closer. You recall the lyrics, “Touch the sky, I I I can touch the sky” (Kanye West) and wonder if the DJ could play you that song as your models walk down the runway. You wonder too, if these guys have in fact heard that song…(No pun intended because as the story goes, I discovered that Rwandese pop culture is hip and happening, these guys are cool peeps- but that's in PART II)

The cab takes you through winding roads, quite unlike the ones at home; no, these ones are soo much smoother, a lot less traffic; few people walk on the pavements along the roads and you wonder if they all have private cars. Where is everyone? At home, at any given time, much less the rush hour, people quite literally throng the roads, crossing highways recklessy with motorists hooting in toe at one thing of the other. Here, there is a sense of civility, organization, calmness; you wonder if there are matatus around here. Those noisy little nuisances with yellow lines and funny drawings…but soon enough you realize that Rwanda too has “Michuki rules” when you spot a white PSV van with a yellow line at a designated stop. You observe that nobody shoves or pushes, they all wait their turn- ahhh civilization…it’s like coming home (a different kind of home from the one you know).

The road network is a 21^st century dream, cut into the hill slopes, several round abouts with manicured lawns punctuate the horizon while some flyover those below; you remember the two tunnels that have just been erected in your hometown and wonder if the Kenyan road network will ever match up to this one. You wonder too how this small country could be soo well “designed”? Then the cab driver informs you that you are driving through the area where the president lives, points out a few high end hotels and diplomatic missions, while he pulls into these gorgeous pristine apartments where he soon informs you that you shall be staying with the rest of the foreign delegation. 

Suddenly, the magnitude of the journey that you embarked on begins to dawn on you… You are an ambassador, you are charged with a huge responsibility, you must represent your fellow mwananchi; did you ever sign up for this when you set out to establish yourself way back when? Perhaps a thought for every entrepreneur, where do you hope to see yourself in a year or two? And in another decade or so? Perhaps a very important question to muse over. But i digress, as you sample the sights and sounds of a very civilized society- you wonder if you will awe this tidy bunch with your fashions from beyond the borders…you have a show in an hour and no time to waste you must take care of the loose ends.

By now you have probably guessed that I am talking about me, the typical Kenyan hustler off on a trip to a foreign country, to show them what I am made of... I landed in a country I had only ever heard mentioned alongside grief and saw the face of a civilized well organized society that has come of age. Not stuck in the past. Not stuck at all. Well developed and on the fastlane to becoming a fledging economy. A real paradigm shift, a pilgrimage of sorts, an opportunity to see what the future can be for those whose priorities are right. Perhaps a thought for an aspiring entrepreneur...?

A JOURNEY TO REMEMBER PART II

Somebody once said that "Fashion is hardly as Glamorous as it looks", I agree hands down!!! I promised to finish a story of the journey I would never forget, but to be honest, the journey continues, it promises to be entertaining, inspiring, challenging and worth the ride. But I digress, I have a story to tell...

Five minutes after the tears dried up and yes, sense finally prevailed- I prayed earnestly. I had been praying the whole night and throughout the morning and with all that was cutting it was inevitable... The time was 11:30AM. A disheveled little matatu appeared out of the corner of my eye and I knew I did not have the luxury to assess its "condition"... I jumped in and sat next to a mother and her child- me and my huge black paperbag and my backpack, relieved I prayed that I would be in town before I knew it...

Five minutes later, the matatu driver pulled up to a stop so the driver would have some 'miwa' (sugarcane) and when he had finally picked the sweetest bunch (apparently he had the time to vet them) we set off again. This is where the story becomes sweetest- pun intended; just a few miles up the road a cop pulled us over- the charge, "Eating and Driving", "Driving under the Influence of sugar", "Being Sugar High", beats me! What was supposed to be a two minute stop turned into five and restless I got off the darned thing hoping to hitch a ride from a private car.

As it turns out, the driver and his conductor were on their way back, on seeing me standing there outside the matatu- the guy had the nerve to engage me in what I can only call a "normal exchange of words"- The Ranting Stranded Commuter and the Arrogant Public Service Vehicle Operator. Whatever happened to civilisation? Anyway, after the insults were hastily exchanged, and the passengers duly came to my defence, we got back on the road. The time was 12noon, the bus to Kigali, Rwanda would leave at 1PM and I was decidedly two hours away, possibly three. What to do?

Fifteen minutes later, as we neared the Airport junction at KAPA, we heard a loud "something". The sound of something coming loose, something banging against the rear of the matatu but strangely we were still going- u can exhale... It was not an accident, thankfully nothing that catastrophic; just a suitcase that had been tied on the rooftop coming off the fastening and falling off and onto the road... U can laugh out loud now.... It turned out that the poor owner of the stuff that now lay strewn on the road for all to see belonged to the mother and child in the seat next to me.At that moment it hit me- that could have easily been me, that could have been my whole collection right there!

Disgruntled and pissed she pushed past me muttering under her breathe that she had to endure the rare dehumanizing event of having to pick up her underwear off the highway!! And at that moment I gladly gave her way, me and my huge luggage, picked my phone and intended to call my mother to let it reep when, what do you know, she called me... She had arranged for a cab to pick me at the South C junction just before we got into town and she would pay the bill. Oh My God, Thank You. And so it was that a difficult day was suddenly made easier by my caring and supportive mother! I love you MUM and by the way, I dedicated this collection to my mother.

The time was 12:30 when I finally got into the cab and made the trip to Campus to pack my bags and leave for the bus stop. It was sooo funny coz I had to stuff clothes into my suitcase right off the lines as other students were coming from class for lunch break and I headed towards the cab in the opposite direction. Some stared quizzically, but those who knew me were like, "just another day on the hustle". In a way, i felt like the poor mother and her child; struggling to maintain a sense of dignity and decorum as things went topsy turvy. As the story goes, I had to endure several other trying events along the journey but I must say that at 1PM, the sympathetic cab driver delivered me safely and in one piece to the bus stop at Kampala Coach where I caught the bus to Kigali that very day, the 17th of May 2011.

After a 24hour road trip during which I crossed two borders and toured three countries; Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, I managed to showcase my Earth and Vanilla collection at the Rwanda Fashion Festival the very next day  to a cheering crowd. It was like that proverbial 'Light at the end of the Tunnel'. I must say that this was my first trip out of the country and I hope it will not be the last, in fact I must do it again before the year's end- that is of course minus the drama... However several things stood out for me on this trip.

Had I given up at the bus stop at Athi River, this small town gal with big time goals would never had been featured in an article in the Daily Nation a month later thanks to the trip to Kigali. Had I stopped when the lights went out,  I wouldn't have toured three countries and enjoyed the company of some of the most entertaining and warm people I have ever met. Had I gotten off the bus or the matatu (like I had wanted to a million times in the course of that trip) then I wouldn't have anything to write about. I guess the moral of the story is that folks- no matter  how hard the ride gets, no matter how trying- picture the success you hope to achieve and keep going... DON"T GET OFF THE BUS.

This is for all those Hustlers out there who like me, come from humble backgrounds and may have more obstacles than they care to count. Use what you have, hang in there, never loose sight of the mission or the vision and yes- laugh in the face of drama- HAHAHA!!!

You may follow this link to view designs I showcased at the Rwanda Fashion Festival 2011;
http://www.facebook.com/pages/EnV-by-Nkatha/157520514288893

A JOURNEY TO REMEMBER

When it rains it pours! I promised to use this blog to share my experiences as a young upcoming entrepreneur trying to make it in this fast paced but difficult economic climate, and I shall do just that. Having began four years ago (before that I did internships and small jobs here and there), I naturally assumed that I had probably seen it all. But the trip to Rwanda was a real test of faith, hope and will; as a friend of mine put it, "The journey uphill is often the hardest." Or at least it sounded like that. As an entrepeneur you will need a huge reserve of patience, take this story for instance...

As I prepare to showcase my collection at the Runway 254 event next week, I feel compelled to share the story of my trip to Rwanda, because among other reasons- it is quite entertaining and who knows i might have a different story to tell next week. However, let us not forget the moral of this story that obstacles should never ever stop anyone with a dream and a vision. Well, where do I start, perhaps with the black out the night before we were to live- way to go KPLC! So with a total blackout the night I planned to do some serious touch ups, I retired to bed where I can promise you that I did not infact sleep as anxiety and butterflies had a marathon fete in my tummy...what to do...?

Anyway, first forward to 4AM and the lights were finally back and there I was running around hoping to be done in time, you can be sure that I really was not. At 10am, when I was done I hauled my "wares" into a huge black paperbag for lack of a better mode of packaging (which included 5 dresses and 1 huge circular petticoat- u know the one I am talking about) and mounted a 'Pikipiki' to catch a matatu from Athi River to Nairobi.. The time was 11am, and the bus was to leave at 1PM, I had not packed my stuff (which was in campus) and the traffic situation was not making my anxiety any better.

As i got off the 'pikipiki', i realised that i only had 15bob in my pocket, 5bob short of my fare for the ride- i tried to bargain with the motorcyclist but "LO!"... So there I was, rampaging through my stuff trying to find my purse which couldn't have been further- right at the bottom of my backpack under piles of dresses. Meanwhile, the two "Nganyaz" that had been at the stage duly left and by the time I paid the guy and crossed the road- the fast matatus were gone and none would stop for me...so I did something which I knew I would have to do sooner or later- I Cried Out Loud!!! I mean tears and all, and called my mother who had refused to give me a lift into town and all she said was "How could I possibly help you?!" I hung up and cried like the helpless hustler I was; at that very moment I felt like a drowning puppy; alot like this guy,

Could the day get any worse???

This story will definitely be continued soon...

THE PERFECT FIT

I have a confession to make, easy easy, its not soooo "OMG!!!" it's actually an "OH?", yeah i have become a couch potato- yes am watching soo much TV, more than could be considered healthy... Anyway, today I was watching this new one on KTN, 'BriefCase Inc' and i was thinking to myself- kumbe it's not just me? I tell you starting a Biashara no matter how talented you are, is a real test of character and sanity. I stress sanity because most of the time you are going to look like a lunatic, if you don't look like one- well get ready coz you might just go insane!!! It's happened to me, you wake up one morning, stare in the mirror and you are looking at a crazy person!

The moral of the story? Like I mentioned earlier, it's four years now since I officially started hustling- and  you would think that in that time, i have established the perfect formula- but like a raging lunatic, new ideas for my business name keep popping up (A lot like this Briefcase Inc guys) A brief journey, when I started off with my two partners in '07, it was "KROSSOVER INC", at the time I was making custom T Shirts. Then we parted ways and the business name became "IKONIC". It seemed ingenious and for the longest time 'An Icon In Image Consultancy' was working well. That was until we had an assignment to present business ideas in my third year and three other guys had the same name- Talk about plagiarism! (LOL- there wasnt much to steal, hehe!!!)

No time to point fingers, i remember my pals laughing about it, i wasn't. How was i going to be taken seriously if I "Rebranded" every now and then? But the risk had to be taken, so then came Earth and Vanilla- ahhhh, the perfect fit. 'Earth' for African indigenous inspirations and 'Vanilla' for edgy fresh styling. It could also be summarized as my overall style of design, something earthy blended with something fresh; something old with something new- some recycling and some value addition. 

A new perspective perhaps, rather different but non the less punctual as the world moves away from the age of 'art- for arts sake', purchase for 'purchase sake'; to deeper meaning, environmental conservation and a higher value for heritage and culture and why not?

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Hey People!!! So excited, i have been playing around with the idea of starting a blog for the longest tym- four years now! My name is Nkatha, fashion designer, product designer and creative; have been at it for as long as i can remember, so i decided to start a blog to share my experiences as an upcoming enterpreneur and designer. I have been studying at the University of Nairobi, School of the Arts and Design for the last four years and I am about to graduate, hence the need to enter the next stage of my life- blog (among other things of course!). So to commemorate the last four or so years of school i will share a few of my favourite works of art/design depending on how you see it. I will also share some of the influences behind the work. Join me as I embark on this journey to begin a 'new umbrella'- 'Kivuli Kipya' a fresh unconventional approach to creating sustainable lifestyles, which has always been my passion.