One of the things we love about fashion is its diverse nature and ability to combine multiple goals. From creative expression, employment and community upliftment, fashion has the power to change societies and ultimately economies, in a variety of ways. In Kenya, Ngiri Giri designs is using fashion as an avenue to pursue both business and social causes. Situated in a coastal village in Mombasa, Ngiri Giri has established itself as an ethical brand that services local and international markets, whilst providing employment for a disabled community. Here is their story!

Ngiri Giri is a Kenyan company that is focused on selling durable and fashionable handmade bags, produced from local materials such as cotton and canvas. The founder of the company, Suzanna Heller, started the Ngiri Giri workshop in 2007. Her focus was to bring about style using a local material called Kanga, which is widely worn by the African ladies. With its bright vibrant colours and traditional print, the material stands out and gives each and every bag a unique look.

The artistic roots of founder Suzanna date back to her earlier years in school. Suzanna was born in Kenya where she grew up, before being sent off to a boarding school in the United Kingdom at eleven years of age. For Suzanna, being sent abroad for school was not just a journey in education but a discovery into the art and fashion world too. She struggled academically as a young student, and this led her to fall in love with art, as an escape. She recalls how she would spend hours in the art department as a schoolgirl. However, neither art nor fashion was to become her career till at a later stage in her life. After finishing school, Suzanna went on to become a teacher – a profession that brought her back to Kenya. She then met her husband in Mombasa, and together they had three children. At a certain point, her schedule became quite hectic as she juggled being a wife, a mother of three sons under the age of four and a teacher. In the midst of such a demanding life, Suzanna came to appreciate Kenya as the perfect setting to raise her family. The open spaces in Mombasa gave her sons freedom to explore, whilst allowing her to grow back into the world of art and fashion, this time in Africa!

Having found her way back to fashion and art, Suzanna founded Ngiri Giri, in the small coastal village in Kenya. Her dream was to create employment and empower the disabled community – a cause that is very close to Suzanna’s heart. Ngiri Giri utilizes the skill of local artisans from the village, to make beautiful bags. Each and every Ngiri Giri bag is handmade using local materials, which have been hand selected to create a range of bags that stand out in style and design. In an ever-changing world that sees design and style moving towards sustainable fashion that is kind, not only to our planet but also to the local community, the team at Ngiri Giri are proud to be part of the "Fashion with Humanity" movement. Ngiri Giri also remains true to its commitment of uplifting local people from the coastal village in Kenya, through various ways. Apart from creating employment, the business is also putting two young children through school. “Keeping them in education is a cause close to my heart, along with the disabled community where we hope to empower more young people in fashion, by giving them a skill set that can hopefully give them financial independence”, says Suzanna.

Hard work and creativity are at the very heart of Ngiri Giri’s ethos. In their workshop, the team has the following motto up on its wall:

“RISK - More than others think is safe

CARE - More than others think is wise

DREAM - More than others think is practical”

This sums up the team’s belief system!

The team at Ngiri Giri is one of the things Suzanna is so grateful for. Because of their efforts and hard work, Ngiri Giri‘s journey is full of highlights. She is also appreciative of the importance of a supportive family and friends in her entrepreneurship journey. According to Suzanna, they were quite instrumental in setting up Ngiri Giri, as they bought into her dreams, going beyond the call of duty. From setting up the website, product photo shoots, and administration, friends and family have been Suzanna’s rock. “I would not be where I am today without them in my life. When the brand started to grow, I guess so did my expectations and I began to lean on them even more in areas where I had little to no idea”, stated Suzanna. Despite having experienced the blessing of having supportive friends, Suzanna is not oblivious to the risks of mixing friendship and business. Where one chooses to mix business and friendship, Suzanna recommends that one be kind and compassionate, showing appreciation for the support friends and family give, along the way. 

Ngiri Giri and Adapting to COVID-19

Like most businesses, Ngiri Giri was also affected by COVID-19. Right from the onset of COVID-19, Ngiri Giri went into making masks and scrubs for the local and oversea market. Being a small brand, Ngiri Giri was able to adapt quickly to the changes, a feature that proved to be a life saver for the company. In order to maximize on its online sales, Ngiri Giri made investments in its online presence, through its website, and seeking better understanding of social media management. This facilitated the creation of new platforms to showcase the Ngiri Giri brand. Having built a strong online presence, Ngiri Giri got the opportunity to have fun with its brand and to share its story with a larger audience. 

Perceptions on the African Industry 

Suzanna is of the view that the African fashion is rapidly expanding, and African entrepreneurs are in a position to export the continent’s culture to the world, through fashion. “The vibrant colours, the texture, the material, the prints all come together to tell a story. Africa is taking the stage with designers being more creative than they have ever been. It seems a light is being turned on and it’s our time to shine. To anyone thinking of starting out in the fashion business, now is the time to be bold, have faith and most of all LOVE what you do. Be bolder than you thought possible and dream big, it will all be worth it!” –  Suzanna.

At the moment, Ngiri Giri is in the early stages of a collaboration with a high-end fashion house that will see two brands coming together to create something unique and exciting! To view more of Ngiri Giri’s work, visit www.ngirigiri.com