Lynne Kayenne Studio: sharing Malawian fashion
Female led fashion social enterprise uses fashion as a catalyst for change
Story
My love for fashion, whether writing about it, styling people in it, admiring it, modelling it and creating it… runs deep. I started drawing designs for clothes when I was a teenager but I have only been professionally designing for two years now. In 2018, I was commissioned to create a collection for a London multi disciplinary shop which specialised in African inspired designs. I was so excited to share my Malawian point of view and use chitenje fabric (Ankara) in the designs but sadly the deal fell through. It wasn’t until I was stuck in lockdown in April 2020 and was having a conversation with a friend who said:
Malawi is only known for poverty and its association with Madonna.
This lit a fire in my bones to use my 10 year knowledge and skillset in the fashion industry to put together a collection that would showcase Malawi in a bright light and help tell stories about my homeland but more importantly build a brand rooted in heritage and culture using fashion as a vehicle for change that would impact our community.
African textiles supply chain
At Lynne Kayenne Studio, we operate a made to measure model, which means everything we produce has been individually ordered thereby minimizing our ecological footprint by producing only what is required and do not hold stock. Our pieces are made from 100% cotton wax print. When an order is placed, our cotton wax print fabrics are sourced from local women at Lilongwe markets providing them with an income. We pay the market price for our fabrics and do not try to negotiate it down, as we also would like the community to benefit. Once we buy the fabric, it is taken to our workshop where our collaborators are treated with respect and paid a decent wage that they can survive on.
Our goal at Lynne Kayenne Studio is to create a label that benefits ourselves, our customers and our collaborators, as well as the community around us. Our 100% cotton wax prints from local women at the market in Lilongwe and their supplier is from Tanzania, I am very honest about my wanting to create my own fabrics one day where I will have more control as it pertains to where the cotton is grown, where its processes and how we design the patterns and natural dyes used but those plans are in the future currently we buy our fabrics from local women at our market in Lilongwe.
The woman
We cater to woman who has a love of the African continent, she loves tailored, classic, timeless African inspired garments, bold prints, colour. Our woman has a global consciousness and proud of her heritage, culture and is connected to the continent on an emotional and energetic level:
the African rhythm, the dust, the essence, spirit and values of Africa.
Our woman isn’t just African, she is also from across the world and curious about Africa and wants to be transported to the magic that is Africa.For our Spring Summer 2021 collection, We wanted to create feminine bold pieces our woman would incorporate into her closet (wardrobe staples) that would take her from a zoom meeting, to the beach, cocktails with the girls and date night. We also wanted to create looks that can easily transition from day to night, pieces that mix and match and style easily with a denim or leather jacket, jewellery, a heel or trainers. We wanted our woman to feel sexy and free this season
Vision statement
Our vision is to share Malawian fashion point of view, promoting ethical garments and giving the world a taste of African beauty and fashion.
Core values
- Disrupting and innovating the Malawian fashion space
- Being Ethical
- Providing exceptional customer service
- Using fashion as a driver for change by empowering communities through plant a tree initiative as well as women and the youth in creative sectors
Operational procedures
We operate a direct to consumer e- commerce model, creating timeless, minimalist pieces that do not destroy our planet. We operate a made to measure model, which means everything we produce has been individually ordered thereby minimising our ecological footprint by producing only what is required. Our pieces are made from 100% cotton wax print. Each of the pieces, because of their hand made nature, can be recut to extend their life span and are also fully biodegradable. At present, Lynne Kayenne Studio’s is based in Linda Khumbanyiwa’s kitchen in London with our workshop of 1 tailor and support staff located in Lilongwe, Malawi. We predominantly have been selling our products directly to our consumer via online marketplaces called Afrikrea and www.lynnekayennestudio.com
Unique selling propositions
Our value proposition is about sharing a piece of Africa with the world especially Malawi which the media only share poverty and its associations with Madona. We would like our cultural heritage, the essence, spirit and values of Africa. We do this by utilizing the most vibrant, timeless, tailored designs that are fashionable and affordable to the world. In the design phase, we are conscious about creating products that can be styled in many ways giving the wearer the opportunity to adjust styling options by giving them different fits and/or serve multiple functions for example, our suzy coat dress can be styled with jeans, leggings, worn on their own, worn as a dress and/or a coat. If one garment serves multiple needs, people don’t buy as many pieces therefore, we design for durability & longevity. What separates Lynne Kayenne Studio from all other competitors is our commitment to providing women with African inspired, high-quality, tailored garments and artisanal accessories. The primary goal is ensuring that consumers feel their most beautiful and prideful in their African inspired clothing.
Contact
lynne.kayenne@gmail.com
