Vivi Karia
Brand : by vivi
Occupation : Designer & Creative director
I represent freedom & creativity
B: Why fashion?
I have always had a love for clothes ever since i was young. So I like to think of it as an innate calling. My life purpose.
B: Is the fashion industry fully developed in Kenya?
Not really. It is still young. There is a lot to be done. People still do not know how to consume fashion partly because it is not a priority also because people do not try to understand the market. I feel there is a lot of hype about fashion within the younger generation & it is mostly about being “cool”
B: Your role model both international and local?
My role models locally are my friends who are designers too like Kyalo & co, also the urban tailor. We are always challenging each other to never be comfortable & to constantly push boundaries.
Internationally would be Alexander Wang,Karl Largafeld. It is more about their aesthetic, its timeless & innovative. I am all for that even with my designing.
B: Challenges you face as a designer in Kenya with a unique style
Well it is always about how people understand my product. I do a lot of new concepts like deconstruction, that are not done here in Kenya. I always hope that as unique as my work is people are able to understand it in their interpretations