Trade With Africa And Grow Local Production: Chebet Mutai

Chebet Mutai gives an exposé from a global perspective into the fashion and textile industry all the way from Nairobi, Kenya. Her break into the fashion scene has been solution-orientated. Chebet founded the luxury lifestyle brand, Wazawazi that specialises in leather accessories, reflecting beauty and the progressive nature of Kenya, and by extension, Africa. Providing training, up-skilling, and generating economic value to the local community is at the helm of her brand. With a background in development and having worked at the World Bank, the discussion of the West promoting ‘ethical fashion’ prompts exposure to what the normality of fashion was like before this. Governance on what is deemed ethical can’t simply be applied to African fashion brands and companies when the nature and lifestyle of creativity in Africa is not exploitive. The Eurocentric assumption that “the politics of leather in Europe is the same as the politics of leather here”, when hide is a by-product and creates a whole new industry [leather production]. The dilemma of development and foreign aid to reduce poverty while the second hand clothing trade is directly detrimental to the local and Made-In-Africa textile and clothing industry is troubling to Chebet, who is determined to generate wealth and leverage her opportunities and connections for Kenya.

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