Kenya's Achera inspired by Rwandan designers

Anne Sophie Achera Misiani is the Nairobi-based young and talented Kenyan fashion designer behind the stunning brand Achera Designs. Not only does she create stunning collections, she also offers personalised services. Her creative background goes back to her early childhood and many in her family are involved in interior design, architecture and fashion. Model wearing Achera Designs on the catwalk during the Rwanda Culture Fashion Show 2015. She considers her South Africa-based fashion designer, model, singer and author cousin, Liz Ogumbo, to be her mentor and source of inspiration. Tired of seeing the same dresses again and again, Achera started her fashion career by designing her own custom-made pieces for herself. She was only 20, had just finished high school, and had no knowledge of drawing whatsoever, just basic sewing skills she had learnt from her mother. People around her appreciated her style and she used this as an opportunity for her to make money from her passion. At 23, she officially established her brand and participated in her first fashion show in Nairobi. This was in 2011. Model wearing Achera Designs on the catwalk during the Rwanda Culture Fashion Show 2015. She has since taken part in a number of shows, including the Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show 2015. She is looking forward to taking part in many more. However, it was only last year that she actually took fashion-related courses in London and studied fashion illustration. But she holds a Master’s in International Law and Diplomacy. Achera works closely with two tailors in Kenya, and is very passionate about sketching but also styling. She wants her sophisticated and feminine brand to reflect elegance, power and confidence, and she also wants to emphasise the personal styling component of her brand. At the moment, she only works on orders since she has no physical address. However, by the end of the year, she wants to open a shop in Nairobi that would not only showcase her own collections but those of different local and regional fashion designers. Her visit to Rwanda was a good opportunity to meet Rwandan fashion designers, and she is hoping to collaborate in the future. She recognises that today, Nairobi’s fashion scene is a lot more out there compared to Kigali’s but she sees a lot of potential in Rwanda. “Rwandans will get there, the culture is promising,” she said. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

Entertainment

Kenya's Achera inspired by Rwandan designers