David Avido • Fashion designer in Nairobi
This is the story of David Avido, fashion designer and artist from Nairobi, Kenya.
We were drawn to David Avido and his story of having grown up in Kibera, Africa’s largest slum and becoming a tour de force in Kenyan and African fashion. Not only is he a leader in his community for his design talents but he is also a role model to many with his success story of hard work and determination in a world, where being an artist, especially an artist in Africa, is seen as a luxury career. David recently travelled to Germany for Berlin Fashion Week showcasing his of Lookslike Avido brand bringing his contemporary African fashion to the international fashion circuit. Through the video and stills below, we wanted to show you a peak into his world, his designs and his story. He will soon launch a slow fashion capsule collection of artisan hats called “Pukaboo” with creative director and stylist Charlotte Carter.
Featuring: David Avido
With: Prudence Nkirote Mwongera; Sheillah Njoroge; Ronn Wendy Taabu; Alexander Nyamwea
Creative Director & Producer: Charlotte Carter
Videographer & Photographer: Romy Maxime
Music & Sound: Alexander Inggs
Designs, Clothing, Accessories & Hats: Lookslike Avido
Location: Kenya
David Avido • Fashion designer in Nairobi by Romy Maxime
David’s own introduction:
I’m a self-taught fashion designer. I learned design in the streets and made it my career through believing in myself and my passion.
I believe that good quality designed clothes can also come from the slums and be worn worldwide.
I come from a humble background where we could hardly afford a meal a day; in my primary level I went to Mbagathi primary school and later joined Raila Education centre for my highschool education but dropped out due to lack of funds for my school fees. My mom was a house-helper at that time, so I worked in a construction site in Lang’ata for some time to be able to support my family but I couldn’t keep it up because I had chest problems. I stayed home for couple of months just doing house chores for my neighbours in order to earn an income for myself and family, it is during this time that the idea of starting a dance crew came to me. I decided to join hands with my primary school friends. That’s how my art life started.
When I started dancing I used to save money in order to go back highschool, with the little that I could get from dancing: my mom’s money from doing work as a househelp, we were able to raise 15,000 shillings and with that I joined an adult school and skipped form 2, 3 and 4. I only went for two-week tuition and then sat for my end of my final exams in an adult school and that’s how I finished school.
I started Lookslike Avido in 2015.
The idea of Lookslike Avido came up when I was dancing, when I used to design dancing costumes for my dance team: and then we could take them to a tailor for sewing, but the tailors never used to do what we wanted exactly. That’s where the urge of doing it myself came up.
It is during this time that I got opportunity to meet and join Maisha Foundation of which they have been very influential in my career by being there financially: they got me enrolled in BIFA for Certificate in Fashion Design and after one year I graduated as the best fashion design student in the certificate course in 2016.
What is your inspiration behind Lookslike Avido?
My inspiration comes from the streets, because by creating my first garment here and being able to produce them worldwide proves to the world that also good things can come from the slums. The streets reminded me of who I am, and who I wanted to be in life.
It allows me to be able to speak on behalf of my neighbourhood and be able to end the stigma: that good things can’t come from the slums.
My family, my mom, and my siblings inspired me to work hard and find my own identity through creation.
Who are your fashion influences?
My grandmother, my dance crew, and people from the streets.
From them my fashion impressions grew and made me want to share my work with them and the world.
I was also impressed with the late Alexander McQueen.
What does style mean to you?
Style is how I portray my personality and what I am putting out, not just the clothes, but also what I am talking about socially. Talking to people about social issues and giving people hope and giving them joy, that is what style means to me.
What is your dream project ?
Dream project is to create a company, a fashion industry in the slums for me to be able to support other artists and designers. I want to pass on the knowledge and training the youth and the others, money is not enough. I want to create job opportunities for people here in Kibera.
How does being an artist in a third world country inspire and challenge you?
It inspires me because we talk about real problems, the real things that are happening not the things about Africa that people hear from the media. That pushes me to do what I am doing.
Describe Kenya in three words.
Home Sweet Home.
Do you have political and social messages you would like to raise through your designs?
If I am using fashion as an art, I am talking about the problems here in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. This is a tool for me to talk about things that really matter.
Where do the puka shells come from?
They come from Lake Victoria, I buy them from farmers and fishermen.
What inspired you to make the puka shell hats?
I first made my signature Avido hat because of the sky. When I lived in my rural area, my grandma used to make baskets. One day when I was sent to the market to buy food, there was a downpour suddenly and I used my basket as a hat. So my grandma also inspired my hats.
What is your business strategy and ethos?
What I normally consider the most is to be able to prove to the world that good things can come from the slums.
That is what has kept me going. Right now it is not just about fashion and design, it’s about a movement.
What are the major challenges you have encountered while building the business and how have you overcome them?
Since I started fashion until now I’ve been able to face challenges that made me grow, and learn more about where I want to be fashion wise. having no money was a challenge - that is where my dance crew job came in, which also inspired the rest..
The biggest of them all is the counterfeits outfits (second clothes - ‘mtumba’), which normally affects fashion designers hugely.
What made me overcome them was just concentrating more on my work and keeping on.
From dressing local and international stars, how is the brand being perceived?
What I’ll say is that it is not easy to understand how other people perceive us because different people have their own tastes, and also lack of self-awareness can be career-limiting, so what we do is keep up our designing, we set more goals and the more we achieve our short term goals we get inspired to reach our long term goals, and then our dreams.
From conception to retail to purchase, please give us an insight into the production, design and general planning process of each collection.
We would say it all depends…different creations, time, fabric cost, creativity all add up here.
Different designs takes different period of time for them to be produced.
But what starts at the first period of production for us is the inspiration, then sketch making, fabric buying, pattern drafting, transferring patterns to fabric, cutting fabric, sewing, quality checking, and then delivering to the client.
What remains that unique factor about your pieces?
The unique piece about my of Lookslike Avido is what it stands for, the quality outfits we make and creativity with an African flair.
And then to help me as a guideline, I trust the process, I trust in God, not shy to speak myself, and of course good things sell out there so just be patient.
How is your brand helping to empower the community?
My brand helps to empower the community by creating job opportunities, educating young ones from the community about the importance of setting goals and working towards them.
Giving back to the community by donating new school uniforms to the needy students with interests of learning to help them build their self-esteem.
What sets you apart from other fashion designers and what should we expect in 5-10 years’ time?
What sets me apart from other fashion designers is what I stand for and my beliefs, I don’t just design good clothes for the sake of doing so.
I’m giving the young ones hope from slums that their background don’t define them, and also good clothes can be made from the ghetto and also reach the same market as Gucci etc.
And in between 5-10 years what happens in it time will tell, but a lot of progress for sure.
With your knowledge and practice so far, what would you do differently if you had the chance to start all over again, and what advice do you have for a 16 year old Avido out there aspiring to venture into the same industry?
If I had a chance to start it over again what I would believe in myself more from the start and know that all the answers are already within.
Trust in the process, and remember God first, dedication…things take time, so plan well.
African Fashion is making global headlines, with the industry said to be worth over $30bn. What needs to be in place for Africa to actually experience a major boom and break into the global market, in the fashion space?
What is needed is more support from our people, because if we get more support from home then we will also get more motivated and from that, experience major boom and break into the global market in the fashion space. Being invited and sponsored recently to Berlin Fashion Week gave me a great entry into the European market.
You have dressed many big names both locally and internationally, mention some.
G-Money, Cecile, Hon Kenneth Okoth, Tarrus Riley, Christopher Martin, Ty Dolla Sign, Chronixx, Don Carlos, Kellisa, Sparkie, Connie Nielsen, Octopizzo, Big Ted, Naiboi, Everton Blender, Wstrn, Romain Virgo, Richie Spice, Bank Slave, Talia Oyando, Nasty C.
Where can we find you?
Instagram handle: lookslike_avido
Twitter handle: @lookslike_avido
Facebook page: Lookslike avido
Website www.lookslikeavido.com
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