Last week I spent an evening at the launch of ethical fashion brand Siku Moja. I had a really fun time, met some beautiful people, and am so happy to see the birth of the ‘everyday faraway brand’ that is Siku Moja!
Meaning ‘one day’ in the East African language of Kiswahili, the brand is passionate about creating positive social change through creativity, and catering to people who care about living more sustainably. I’m a big fan of both of these concepts, and am so happy to see sustainable fashion combine conscience with style and modernity, something that the general industry still lacks.
The brand is currently raising funds on their Kickstarter to (rather ingeniously) kickstart their ethical supply chain between Tanzania and the UK. By using their first collection, The Everyday Capsule Collection to raise funds, they’ll be able to set up a womens’ project in East London, as well as start work on their second collection in Tanzania.
From being at their launch, I can tell that there is a lot of passion behind the brand. The sisters behind the brand, Elly + Jo, are really sweet people, and the room was filled with their family, friends, and sustainable fashion advocates. I really enjoyed speaking to people who care about the clothes as well as people who care about the women and their ethical venture, and the atmosphere was incredibly positive for the whole evening.
When the models came out to do their catwalk-esque laps of the room, they showed the versatility of the collection, pairing different items from the nine-piece collection together to show how comfy pyjamas can be taken to sexy lingerie and back again. My favourite two items on the night were the Day & Night Bralette, a beautiful lacy piece made from factory offcuts, and the Everyday Kanga Shorts, made from rich-looking Tanzanian cotton and sewn together with organic cotton.
The thing that really struck me on reflection of the night is how two women managed to string together a fashion brand that not only keeps up with modern design, but is transparent and caring in every aspect. I imagine their determination and drive were key factors in this, but it demonstrates how independents can achieve great things, and how larger brands have no excuse in stepping up their social responsibility policies and making a change to fairer fashion.