Kiko Romeo

We are passionate about sustainability; striving to create longevity in each garment by using handmade and hand-dyed fabrics as well as hand-carved trims, sourced from the African continent. Our fabrics come mainly from natural fibres including cottons, linens and silk. The silhouettes are effortlessly elegant, with attention to detail. They are treasured as works of art by our clients.

A heritage brand, widely credited with transforming fashion in Kenya, and mentoring many designers and artisans over the last two decades, KikoRomeo meaning “Adam’s Apple” in Kiswahili, was founded by Ann McCreath in 1996, her daughter, Iona McCreath stepped into the role of Creative Director in 2018, with Ann taking the lead on teaching, social impact and the corporate side.

Transcending cultures and fashion trends, KikoRomeo outfits have ultimately proven to be a source of confidence and pride in all who wear them and all who are part of making them.

The inspiration for Eripoto came to me from the situations we have all been placed in over the COVID-era. A commentary on our times, we’ve all been searching for protection through a period of feeling incredibly vulnerable. It is a vulnerability that has presented itself in several ways, whether it be the fragility of life and how fleeting it can be to the vulnerability of loneliness brought on by several months of lockdown and isolation.

We all experience fear in different ways and react to it differently. Yet over this period, there has been a common source of fear, which in turn has built a sense of global community yet at the same time has forced many new divides and fear of the “other”.

Through this collection, I wanted to explore what it means to be vulnerable and how we present it on our exterior. You can be weak in your vulnerability, but you too can be strong. Vulnerability can give you strength and power in allowing you to be you and shine through.

These films, shot on Rusinga Isalnd, in the western part of Kenya, show a combination of the Eripoto collection with knitwear from the KikoRomeo archives. Forming a sort of nostalgic search for comfort. A movement we can see happening with pop-culture shifts globally.

For both myself, and the creatives of 199x and Urban Pitchaz, our creative influences have been greatly shaped by the duality of growing up in an era of radical global change where we can both understand life before many of the technological advancements that we enjoy now and also see how quickly the world has changed as a result of them. This duality almost impresses a sense of duty to take forward what we know from our parents’ generations and create within a sense of limited limitlessness.

Film Credits:
Featuring: @urbanpitchaz @abakakol
Producer: @Iona_Mccreath
Director: @mbaalamwezi
D.O.P @photoman254
Styling: @clintokanga @photoman254 @mbaalamwezi
Set Assistants: @ronnyonkeo @bady_nyamwario
Location: @clintokanga @199x

Image Credits:
At the lake washing dishes and with the donkey - Jonam.
Featuring: @urbanpitchaz
Photography and Direction: @photoman254
Styling: @clintokanga
Film Direction: @mbaalamwezi
Jewellery: @theresiatracy (Theresia Kyalo)

Girl on the lake with yellow hat.
Featuring:@abakakol
Photography and Direction: @photoman254
Film & Co-Direction: @mbaalamwezi
Styling: @photoman254

Girl by the lake in the white knit top
Featuring: @abakakol
Photography and Direction: @mbaalamwezi
Set Assistants: @ronnyonkeo @bady_nyamwario
Styling: @mbaalamwezi