Designed by

Katungulu Mwendwa

Production Location

Kenya

Year launched

2014

Social
Website
http://www.katushnairobi.com

Biography

Founded by Katungulu Mwendwa in 2014, Katush is defined by modern, trans-seasonal separates driven by textures and craftsmanship. After appearing in the reality TV contest Catwalk Kenya in 2007, the designer went on to study fashion in the United Kingdom, and returned home to Kenya to pursue her aspirations of building her own contemporary ready-to-wear line.

Experimenting with various techniques and innovative fabrics, the designer draws from both her Kenyan heritage as well as her travels throughout villages in East Africa. Mwendwa considers her local community central to her brand, and often collaborates with local craftsmen to develop her collections, relying on a range of traditional practices for each design. Working from her home studio in Nairobi, the designer is inspired by her surroundings and her day-to-day experiences. As her brand expands, Mwendwa remains heavily influenced by explorations of modern African identity—crossing divides and reincarnating ideas bound by periods, cultures and sexes.

The designer has been featured in Forbes Africa, where she spoke of her challenges in defying the “Made in Africa” stereotype: “I remember some people saying, ‘but your stuff doesn’t really look African…’ They were waiting for something with more color, with more prints...These days...I’m designing what I like to make.”

Accolades

  • Lagos Fashion Week, Fashion Focus, Finalist, 2019

  • Kenya Fashion Awards, Fashion Designer of the Year, 2015