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.
Models wearing upcycled creations made from discarded garments – AFP
Every year, thousands of tonnes of used clothes from Europe, the US, and beyond make their way to Kenya. In 2023, Kenya overtook Nigeria to become Africa’s largest importer of second-hand clothing according to a study from the US-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Thousands of these bales land in Gikomba market near central Nairobi where tin-roofed stalls stretch across a five-acre labyrinth, one of the city’s major economic hubs. 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.
Kenya imported about 197,000 tonnes of second-hand clothes worth $298 million in 2023, according to the MIT study.
The Environment for Development, a global research network, estimates that around a third are unusable items that end up in landfills- mostly made from plastic-based materials like nylon and polyester that does not biodegrade.
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.
The influx of second-hand clothes has employed hundreds of thousands of people across East Africa, from port handlers to traders, and provided a lot of affordable clothing. But it has also made it hard for domestic textile firms to get off the ground.
The East African Community of eight regional countries tried to impose a ban in 2016 in the hope of boosting local textile production.
But it was opposed by recycling lobbyists in the US, and Washington threatened to kick the East African nations out of a lucrative trade deal called the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that allowed them to sell products duty-free into the US.
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and others backed down. Only Rwanda held firm and was punished with a suspension from selling clothes under AGOA’s preferential rates. President Donald Trump‘s administration allowed AGOA to expire last month for the whole continent, although talks are under way to revive it.
For Azedy, the downside of the trade deals- mountains of discarded clothes piling up in dumpsites- is a treasure trove for his creative eye. Buying new fabric, he said, is simply “too expensive”.
On the runway, what was once an oversized pair of denim trousers has been transformed into a tiered, layered jacket paired with flared trousers and platform shoes. His drive for “uniqueness” in repurposed pieces earned him a place at Berlin Fashion Week last year.
Having styled several regional musicians with his collection, Azedy now dreams of taking what others consider trash to the grand stages of New York and Paris.
Aditya Birla Group’s corporate social enterprise Aadyam Handwoven has named Sobhita Dhulipala as its new brand ambassador, who will contribute to the brand’s ‘Culture Beyond Textiles’ vision of preserving India’s weaving legacies.
Sobhita Dhulipala wearing a saree by Aadyam Handwoven – Aadyam Handwoven
“Aadyam has always stood for the people behind the loom, the cultures that shape our craft, and the traditions that continue to evolve. Sobhita is a woman of today who exemplifies this thinking with an innate sensitivity that is in tandem with our narrative,” said Aadyam Handwoven’s business lead Manish Saksena in a press release. “Her connect to handlooms is personal and intuitive, and her presence strengthens our endeavour to make Indian craftsmanship aspirational for a new generation.”
Aadyam Handwoven retails fashion and homeware goods designed to highlight Indian textile heritage and translate it for modern shoppers. The label aims to harness Dhulipala’s pan-India popularity to raise awareness about the brand and its textile ecosystem.
“I’ve always believed that craft carries emotion,” said Sobhita Dhulipala. “When something is made by hand, it holds the imprint of the person who created it. Aadyam’s work with weaving communities, combined with its philosophy of celebrating culture in all its forms, makes this association very special for me. I am honoured to lend my voice to a brand that champions artistry with purpose.”
One year on from his passing, Catalan fashion company Mango is commemorating the legacy of Isak Andic. In memory of its founder, who lost his life on December 14, 2024 in a tragic mountaineering accident in Barcelona, Mango has undertaken a series of commemorative initiatives across its stores and corporate channels to highlight the business, human, and philanthropic legacy of the entrepreneur, born in Istanbul in 1953.
Exterior of the Catalan brand’s store on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, adorned with a special tribute to Isak Andic. – Mango
In this context, some of the company’s most emblematic stores have dressed their windows with a portrait of Andic and messages inside that evoke his legacy. Specifically, the tributes have reached its stores from Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona to Serrano in Madrid, as well as international locations such as Oxford Street in London, Fifth Avenue in New York, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. In parallel, Mango added a black ribbon to its e-commerce platform and shared a commemorative video on its internal channels and social media.
The audiovisual tribute, produced by company employees drawing on hours of archival footage and interviews, captures the founder’s lessons and reflections in his own voice. “Isak was a visionary who transformed a personal dream into a global brand. His legacy remains a constant source of inspiration for all of us,” the company shared on its LinkedIn profile alongside the video, adding that “his spirit lives on in every step we take towards the future, as we continue to work to fulfil his vision and ensure that Mango is a project he would be proud of.”
For his part, the group’s CEO and executive chairman, Toni Ruiz, shared a personal letter addressed to Andic, both internally and on his LinkedIn profile, in which he reaffirmed that the values that defined the founder will guide the brand’s next steps. In it, he remembers Andic as “a brilliant entrepreneur and an exceptional person,” stressing that “there has not been a single day on which we have not remembered him.” “Mango continues to sail steadily towards new horizons,” he said.
Ruiz recalled the conversations and ideas left unfinished and highlighted the trust that the founder placed in the team, noting that “Mango is made up of excellent professionals and even better people.” The executive also reviewed the milestones of the past year, from double-digit growth to international expansion and momentum across all product lines, as well as progress at Mango Campus and the company’s focus on innovation and artificial intelligence- areas that Andic always emphasised. “What could have been a difficult year, we have together turned into a historic one,” he stressed. The letter concludes with a message of gratitude on behalf of the 17,000 people who make up the company and with the phrase the founder often repeated: “the sky is the limit.”
In parallel, during the last year there have also been significant changes in the structure of the family holding company that owns Mango. Following the death of Isak Andic, his three children reorganised the family’s companies under Punta Na Holding, the entity that brings together the family investment vehicles and controls the vast majority of the fashion company’s capital. In this context, the eldest son, Jonathan Andic, stepped down in June from his position as global director of Mango Man, a role he had held for 17 years, to focus fully on managing the family’s investment companies, which include business and property investments, sharing corporate governance responsibilities with his sisters Sarah and Judith.
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Expanding women’s fashion retailer Wyse London is set to open a pop-up store in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Saturday (13 December).
Wyse London
The 550 sq ft space on Frederick Street isn’t just for Christmas as it’s opening until next May, housing the brand’s latest styles from its Autumn/Winter collection, including bestsellers the Liana Chunky Funnel Neck Jumper, Philippa Pea Coat and festive dresses and tops.
The pop-up marks the latest in a series of new store openings, “following the successful introduction to the North of England” in York in September. That became its fourth permanent UK store, joining the brand’s two in London – Chelsea and Marylebone – as well as Southwold, Suffolk.
More stores, both pop-up and permanent, are planned over 2026 both nationally and internationally, the retailer said.
Founder Marielle Wyse added: “Edinburgh has become an increasingly significant city for us, as we’ve seen a rapidly growing community of customers shopping with us online, so opening a physical pop-up feels like the natural next step.
“The city’s cultural heritage and vibrant population offers a setting that aligns perfectly with our brand values, while the thriving tourism scene brings an energy and international audience we’re excited to welcome. With a discerning retail landscape, the city gives us a unique opportunity to build deeper relationships with both existing and new customers.”
Politics8 years ago