Sally Karago is a steady, pro and versed fashion designer in the industry. She is arguably the best female fashion designer, touted as the queen of fashion by many observers. Her passion in fashion started as a 12 year-old little girl when she insisted every time to dress members of her family. And that’s how she slowly began to understand colours, how to combine them and come up with something different.
To her, education is the key to fashion. After joining a local fashion school and attaining a diploma certificate, she felt that was not satisfying enough. So she decided to move to Europe where she furthered her studies and graduated with Masters in Fashion. And when she came back into the country in 1992, she founded the Mcensal Fashion House whose designs were inspired by Contemporary Africa. Through hardwork, passion, faith and unwavering determination, Sally was able to win the Kenya Smirnoff Awards in 1993 and got a breakthrough into the corporate world in the years to follow.
All along, she continued giving advice to people with passion for fashion and design. In 2009 she started Mcensal School of Fashion Design which would give a solid foundation for upcoming fashion designers and give them an understanding of the ever evolving fashion trends that affects the fashion industry.
Karago is the first designer to incorporate the Maasai blanket and kikoi fabric into her designs. The collection is dubbed “Made in Kenya by a Kenyan” and has another brand called SK-collection that sells ready to wear clothes for all ages.
Her collections have graced runaways like Televised competition Safari Fashion Runaway, Africa Fashion Week in New York (Turkana collections) and Annual Safari Fashion Week.
She has participated in a number of events and organizations linked to the fashion industry and also won a couple of Awards. In 1998/99 she was the Face of Africa Judge and Designer. She has also chaired Association of Fashion Designers and last year 2019 she received African Heritage Lifetime Award.
With her living by the words; “Tough times don’t last, tough people do”, Sally Karago is the admirable, veteran pioneer in the fashion industry and an impeccable first female fashion designer in Kenya.
Being aware that just highlighting 10 of them from the hundreds we have and thousands more upcoming is quite limiting, we opt not to rank them in any order of relevance, importance or achievement, but leave that to your judgement.
READ MORE: OTHER TOP 10 FASHION DESIGNERS IN KENYA
In addition, there’s a high chance that those we din’t manage to get on this list, probably haven’t shared a lot about their work with the public, or may not really be interested after all. If you would like your work as a designer or your favourite fashion designer to be shared on this platform, please email us on info@fotophreak.com or contact +254 729209419
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