Kenyan fashion design student Nicole Tikolo has been voted the People’s Choice Award winner in the Womenswear Design category at the prestigious 2025 Fashanne Awards in the United Kingdom. Her acclaimed collection, Urembo wa Pwani —Swahili for The Beauty of the Coast — struck a chord with audiences around the world, garnering thousands of votes and placing her at the forefront of emerging global fashion talent.
At just 23, Nicole is not only the first Kenyan to earn this recognition at Fashanne, but also a trailblazer redefining how African heritage and size inclusivity show up on international runways. Her collection, brimming with custom prints of madafu and the rare Taita White Eye bird, celebrates curvy women and draws inspiration from her childhood vacations along Kenya’s coast — from Lamu’s winding alleys to Diani’s palm-fringed shores.
Far from being a collection for the closet alone, Urembo wa Pwani is a movement. Built on storytelling, heritage, and precision tailoring, each garment is rooted in Nicole’s Taita identity and shaped with the modern, confident woman in mind.
“I wanted to design clothes that feel like home, that move with you, that speak to women who’ve long been ignored by the mainstream fashion narrative,” she explained. “This win means so much to me—but even more, it’s a victory for African storytelling, for Kenyan creativity, and for every woman who wants to be seen and celebrated in her own skin.”
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The Fashanne Awards — often dubbed the “BAFTAs of student fashion” — attract hundreds of entries across the UK’s top fashion schools. Nicole, who is currently studying at Nottingham Trent University, was shortlisted for the final showcase and made a compelling appeal to her community in Kenya, East Africa, and the diaspora to vote. And vote they did.
Her entry #62 stood out not just for its striking colour palette inspired by coastal sunsets, or the architectural curves mimicking Swahili doors, but for what it represented: authenticity, cultural pride, and size inclusivity in a $193 billion global plus-size apparel market that remains largely underserved.
“Because I’m curvy too,” Nicole shared during her campaign. “I know the struggle of finding clothes that are both beautiful and made to fit well. I wanted to change that—not just for myself, but for so many others.”
From the cotton satin that gave her pieces structure without weight, to the crepe de chine that added movement and lightness, Nicole’s technical choices were as thoughtful as her message. Weeks of drafting, re-drafting, and perfecting her silhouettes paid off, resulting in a collection that wowed not just the judging panel—but also the global public.
Nicole credits not only her training at Nottingham Trent University but also her spiritual foundation for the collection’s success. “For me, faith and fashion go hand in hand,” she says. “I pray through my process. Every detail, every stitch is intentional.”
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“Winning the People’s Choice Award is a dream come true, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who voted, supported, and believed in this vision. This is more than a personal achievement — it’s a celebration of culture, curves, and creativity. I carry this win with pride for Kenya, for African designers, and for every woman who deserves to feel seen,” said Nicole Tikolo.
As the African Development Bank projects the continent’s fashion industry to exceed $15.5 billion by 2025, designers like Nicole are changing the narrative from consumption to creation. Her win is symbolic of a larger movement—one where African designers are no longer waiting for validation from traditional gatekeepers, but are claiming their space with intention, grace, and global appeal.
Nicole now plans to launch a Kenya-based, curve-inclusive fashion label that blends storytelling, print design, and technical excellence — a brand that speaks to the modern African woman and celebrates beauty in all its forms.
Congrats Nicole you deserve it for all the Amazing work you’ve done. All the best for what is coming.