Nairobi’s fashion scene sparkled brighter on Friday as Kenya’s capital played host to the second edition of the East Africa Fashion Life Show. The glitzy event brought together over 70 visionary exhibitors from Kenya and China, transforming the exhibition hall into a vibrant hub where creativity met commerce on a global scale.
Chinese enterprises unfurled a magnificent array of offerings, from exquisite textiles and ingenious packaging materials to captivating baby toys, luxurious personal care products, and coveted wigs. The showcase also included chic home decor and artful gift wrappers, proving that style permeates every facet of life.
The event, running from Thursday to Saturday, was graced by a high-level Chinese delegation led by Yin Maolin, Party chief of Mudan District in Heze City, east China’s Shandong Province. Their presence underscored East Africa’s burgeoning potential as a dynamic hub for the fashion, sustainable textile, and apparel sectors. Yin emphasized the show’s pivotal role in deepening economic partnership between China and Kenya, fostering trade in high-quality manufactured products and forging seamless supply chains.
Mr Pius Rotich, general manager for investment promotion and business development services at Kenya Investment Authority, affirmed the Kenyan government’s commitment to creating a conducive policy and regulatory environment to ignite growth in the textile and apparel sector. Mr Rotich highlighted Kenya’s eagerness to collaborate with Chinese investors in producing premium leather products for export across Africa and beyond, promising a boost in foreign exchange earnings and robust job creation.
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Gao Wei, managing director of Afripeak Expo Kenya Ltd, a co-organizer of this year’s show, celebrated its remarkable expansion in both visitors and exhibitors, a testament to the region’s vibrant textile and apparel dynamism. Under the inspiring theme of “Inspire Friendship, Connect World,” the expo united Chinese and Kenyan enterprises showcasing household accessories, cosmetics, and electronics. Gao also noted the invaluable networking opportunities it provided for Chinese and Kenyan business executives to explore two-way trade in leather products.
Hundreds of Kenyan visitors flocked to the East Africa Fashion expo, many expressing their profound appreciation for Chinese-made products, particularly wigs, cosmetics, and fabrics. Ms Waceke Mwaura, a discerning entrepreneur, was captivated by the exemplary quality of Chinese-showcased wigs, noting their immense popularity among local clientele.
Ms Mwaura, a seasoned importer of hair from China for local retailers and beauty parlours, is now actively pursuing distributorship arrangements with Chinese manufacturers. Paul Munyua, a middle-aged pedicurist, sought out insights into innovative and affordable Chinese beauty products to enhance his services.
The grand finale of the expo truly ignited the runway, with a breathtaking fusion of Chinese and African fashion staged by Moi University students on Friday. Models glided in elegant attire that seamlessly blended Chinese and African fabrics, patterns, designs, and colors, a striking visual metaphor for the deepening cross-cultural ties between the two nations.
Ms Liz Nyakiongora, a part-time model and communications major at Moi University, expressed her immense pride in participating in the catwalk, a moment where she could artfully demonstrate the harmonious blend of both Chinese and African fashion.
“What we wanted to bring out in this fashion show is the solidarity and prosperity in China-Kenya relations,” Nyakiongora declared. “As an African model, being able to showcase this fusion of fashion from both sides was a great moment. We took the prints from Kenya and China and came up with these final products.”
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Cavince Otieno Ochieng, an arts major at Moi University, lauded the event for its emphasis on inclusivity, cross-cultural understanding, and harmony through the exquisite blending of African and Chinese prints. “As a young Kenyan, I look forward to more inclusivity in fashion and having people from different countries come together to form a common thread that unites us,” Mr Ochieng passionately stated. He also acknowledged his profound appreciation for Chinese fashion, praising its embodiment of positive virtues of humanity, including unity, talent, beauty, and a vibrant aura.
Biutha Mosomi, dean of students at Moi University’s Nairobi Campus, underscored how the fashion show brilliantly spotlighted the richness, authenticity, and inherent beauty of African and Chinese fabrics. He emphasized that this symphonic blending of Chinese and African fashion will undoubtedly fortify bonds of friendship and understanding, while simultaneously unleashing new revenue streams for burgeoning local designers.
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