enca - 1 days ago

Kenyan designers transform used clothes into art Estelle.Bronkhorst Mon, 10/13/2025 - 11:59 NAIROBI - In a dusty alley in the heart of Kenya s largest open-air market, fashion models strut down a makeshift runway in bold, upcycled outfits made from waste collected at dumpsites and market cast-offs -- proof that even trash can dazzle.Every year, thousands of tonnes of used clothes from Europe, the United States, and beyond make their way to Kenya. On a sunny afternoon last week, a huge crowd gathered to watch models sashay and pivot, showcasing pieces from bales once discarded as unwearable or unsellable. What? They ve upgraded our clothes, one of the traders said with delight as he watched the show.Gikomba Runway Edition brought together young, underground Kenyan designers and stylists for the first time, including 25-year-old upcycling specialist Morgan Azedy. I always see the environment around me dirty... I wanted to control pollution, he told AFP as he prepared his avant-garde outfits in his single-room home before the show.His Kenyan Raw collection featured streetwear denim and a gothic flair crafted entirely from recycled leather sourced from dumpsites and fashion rejects.Olwande Akoth, a designer showcasing her upcycled kimonos at the fashion show, once traded in second-hand bales but often felt disheartened by their poor quality. It s just garbage... the clothes you can t even wear, you wouldn t even give to a beggar, Akoth said.

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