I uploaded a few photos on Facebook a while back.. thought I'd share them on here as well.
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12 April 2010
10 February 2010
Adventures, Big and Small
I know this post is ridiculously overdue. Sorry—I hope it satisfies your curiosity.
I've been working at KikoRomeo for almost two weeks now, and it feels like so much longer than that. I love it. Two hours after I arrived on my very first day, Ann (the head of the company) was already putting me to work sketching designs for an African dance troupe that is performing in Holland at the end of the month. Since then I've been creating and altering patterns, doing fittings, observing absolutely everything I can about Kiko, and getting to know my coworkers. My RISD pattern drafting class is coming in handy. Right now my work is focused more on pattern drafting than I would like, but Ann has promised that I will be doing more varied work soon. I came at a ridiculously busy time for them, so they're using me where they need me for now. And of course I'm learning tons. The Daughters of Africa dance troupe project is really interesting actually. Ann is using some of Kiko's recent Afro Punk collection for the first act, and for the second act, each girl's costume is inspired in part by the traditional dress of her home country. It's very cool. The first (and only) performance in Kenya is on the 16th of February. Tickets are 2500/- (about $34), so I might be working backstage in order to get in, but either way I can't wait to see it!
The people at KikoRomeo are lovely. Ann, the head designer and owner, is Scottish and quite spunky. I liked her the moment I met her, and I've only ever heard good things about her from other people. So far, I've seen mostly her business side, but we've had a few non-work related conversations. She's said in passing that she likes my designs. I'm hoping to be able to sit down with her at a not-so-busy time to talk over my work in more detail. I am very much looking forward to getting a design professional's opinion on my potential.
I spend most of my time each day with Norbert, the pattern drafter/designer who creates all of the patterns, makes sample garments and collection pieces, and does alterations for individual orders. He's Kenyan. We've gotten to talking as we work, asking each other the random questions we think of in order to learn more about each other. Sometimes I end up listening while he jabbers on in Kiswahili to the two fundis (pronounced foon-dees), Jumba and Denis even though they know I can't understand.. yet. Jumba and Denis are there to sew the clothes that Norbert and I cut patterns for. It's lovely not to have to interrupt the pattern process to sew.
Michael is Kenyan as well. He does the illustrations of the garments and technicals (simple straight-line sketches that show where the seams are when the garment is laid flat). I haven't done much work with Michael yet, but I'm sure I will be flat sketching alongside him soon. We've talked about everything from where we've traveled and want to travel to favorite designers and plans for launching our own fashion lines.
Lillianne and Martin are both Kenyans too. Lillianne is the Production Manager. I don't have much business interaction with her unless she needs a pattern to go to the factory for mass production, but she's lovely. Sometimes our lunch breaks overlap and we get to talking a bit. Martin is the accountant—I've gotten to know him least of all because he's always at his computer calculating budgets and expenses. He's got a great sense of style though. And then there's the workroom staff who all know my name because I'm new. I know Jehoshaphat and Eric, but I haven't been able to keep the other 8 or so names straight. I'm working on it.
Until today, my mom or dad was driving me to and from work, but it wasn't very convenient for them to be spending 4 hours on the road in addition to their normal workday. Rich, a former schoolmate of mine, very kindly showed me the matatu routes to get to work this morning. Matatus (pronounced mah-tah-tooz) are 14 passenger buses well-known for being overcrowded and for their pushy driving, but javing (the act of riding matatus) is so much more convenient than having one of my parents take 4 hours out of their day to drop me and pick me at work. So, matatu then Citi Hoppa bus then matatu again, then I walk a bit and I'm there. I just have to get on the right mats (which is sometimes harder than it looks). I think I got on the wrong one today, but, after getting off and picking a direction to walk that "felt right," somehow I ended up in a part of City Centre that I recognised. God is good—being lost in City Centre as a white young woman alone is not a good idea. It was nice to catch up with Rich as well. I hadn't seen him since I graduated, so we talked about all sorts of things on the bus ride. It made the two hours go by quickly.
Unfortunately, though riding matatus gives my parents a break from long hours on the road in Nairobi traffic, I have an even longer trip. It takes two hours for me to get to work in the morning, and two and a half to get home in the evening, which makes my day 11 hours long. The long rides are compounded by the overcrowded buses. The 100-seater bus I was on tonight started out with all the seats filled, and by the time we got to my stop there were thirty additional people standing in the aisle. Talk about being squished! Lillianne and I were talking at lunch today about how we just want to drop into bed after we get home at night. That's something I'm not used to yet—how tired I am after a full work week. But, even though I am tired, I am very happy to be so consistently excited about my work with Kiko—it's a luxury I haven't had in a long time, and certainly did not have at Wheaton.
The things I do miss from Wheaton are my friendships. And simply interaction with people my own age. It's challenging here to find young adults who are not away at school or constantly occupied with work. And how often you see them depends on where they live in Nairobi. Most things, especially meeting up with people, take more effort here, and I'm still getting used to that again. It's easily been the most challenging thing for me so far—building new friendships from nothing. Right now I very much identify with a sentiment a friend once expressed to me, that saying goodbye is hard, but saying hello is harder. I've had coffee with one lovely friend, Shiru, a fellow fashion student, with the promise of meeting again soon. My coworkers are friends. And my church is full of young adults, a few of whom I'm starting to get to know. So I am developing friendships, but slowly. And of course, being with my family again is wonderful.
As a slight side note, I heard today that Sally Dudmesh, the jewelry designer that I’m working with a bit later this month is back in Nairobi from her travels. So another adventure is starting soon!
I have to catch the bus in 7 hours. Goodnight, all.
I've been working at KikoRomeo for almost two weeks now, and it feels like so much longer than that. I love it. Two hours after I arrived on my very first day, Ann (the head of the company) was already putting me to work sketching designs for an African dance troupe that is performing in Holland at the end of the month. Since then I've been creating and altering patterns, doing fittings, observing absolutely everything I can about Kiko, and getting to know my coworkers. My RISD pattern drafting class is coming in handy. Right now my work is focused more on pattern drafting than I would like, but Ann has promised that I will be doing more varied work soon. I came at a ridiculously busy time for them, so they're using me where they need me for now. And of course I'm learning tons. The Daughters of Africa dance troupe project is really interesting actually. Ann is using some of Kiko's recent Afro Punk collection for the first act, and for the second act, each girl's costume is inspired in part by the traditional dress of her home country. It's very cool. The first (and only) performance in Kenya is on the 16th of February. Tickets are 2500/- (about $34), so I might be working backstage in order to get in, but either way I can't wait to see it!
The people at KikoRomeo are lovely. Ann, the head designer and owner, is Scottish and quite spunky. I liked her the moment I met her, and I've only ever heard good things about her from other people. So far, I've seen mostly her business side, but we've had a few non-work related conversations. She's said in passing that she likes my designs. I'm hoping to be able to sit down with her at a not-so-busy time to talk over my work in more detail. I am very much looking forward to getting a design professional's opinion on my potential.
I spend most of my time each day with Norbert, the pattern drafter/designer who creates all of the patterns, makes sample garments and collection pieces, and does alterations for individual orders. He's Kenyan. We've gotten to talking as we work, asking each other the random questions we think of in order to learn more about each other. Sometimes I end up listening while he jabbers on in Kiswahili to the two fundis (pronounced foon-dees), Jumba and Denis even though they know I can't understand.. yet. Jumba and Denis are there to sew the clothes that Norbert and I cut patterns for. It's lovely not to have to interrupt the pattern process to sew.
Michael is Kenyan as well. He does the illustrations of the garments and technicals (simple straight-line sketches that show where the seams are when the garment is laid flat). I haven't done much work with Michael yet, but I'm sure I will be flat sketching alongside him soon. We've talked about everything from where we've traveled and want to travel to favorite designers and plans for launching our own fashion lines.
Lillianne and Martin are both Kenyans too. Lillianne is the Production Manager. I don't have much business interaction with her unless she needs a pattern to go to the factory for mass production, but she's lovely. Sometimes our lunch breaks overlap and we get to talking a bit. Martin is the accountant—I've gotten to know him least of all because he's always at his computer calculating budgets and expenses. He's got a great sense of style though. And then there's the workroom staff who all know my name because I'm new. I know Jehoshaphat and Eric, but I haven't been able to keep the other 8 or so names straight. I'm working on it.
Until today, my mom or dad was driving me to and from work, but it wasn't very convenient for them to be spending 4 hours on the road in addition to their normal workday. Rich, a former schoolmate of mine, very kindly showed me the matatu routes to get to work this morning. Matatus (pronounced mah-tah-tooz) are 14 passenger buses well-known for being overcrowded and for their pushy driving, but javing (the act of riding matatus) is so much more convenient than having one of my parents take 4 hours out of their day to drop me and pick me at work. So, matatu then Citi Hoppa bus then matatu again, then I walk a bit and I'm there. I just have to get on the right mats (which is sometimes harder than it looks). I think I got on the wrong one today, but, after getting off and picking a direction to walk that "felt right," somehow I ended up in a part of City Centre that I recognised. God is good—being lost in City Centre as a white young woman alone is not a good idea. It was nice to catch up with Rich as well. I hadn't seen him since I graduated, so we talked about all sorts of things on the bus ride. It made the two hours go by quickly.
Unfortunately, though riding matatus gives my parents a break from long hours on the road in Nairobi traffic, I have an even longer trip. It takes two hours for me to get to work in the morning, and two and a half to get home in the evening, which makes my day 11 hours long. The long rides are compounded by the overcrowded buses. The 100-seater bus I was on tonight started out with all the seats filled, and by the time we got to my stop there were thirty additional people standing in the aisle. Talk about being squished! Lillianne and I were talking at lunch today about how we just want to drop into bed after we get home at night. That's something I'm not used to yet—how tired I am after a full work week. But, even though I am tired, I am very happy to be so consistently excited about my work with Kiko—it's a luxury I haven't had in a long time, and certainly did not have at Wheaton.
The things I do miss from Wheaton are my friendships. And simply interaction with people my own age. It's challenging here to find young adults who are not away at school or constantly occupied with work. And how often you see them depends on where they live in Nairobi. Most things, especially meeting up with people, take more effort here, and I'm still getting used to that again. It's easily been the most challenging thing for me so far—building new friendships from nothing. Right now I very much identify with a sentiment a friend once expressed to me, that saying goodbye is hard, but saying hello is harder. I've had coffee with one lovely friend, Shiru, a fellow fashion student, with the promise of meeting again soon. My coworkers are friends. And my church is full of young adults, a few of whom I'm starting to get to know. So I am developing friendships, but slowly. And of course, being with my family again is wonderful.
As a slight side note, I heard today that Sally Dudmesh, the jewelry designer that I’m working with a bit later this month is back in Nairobi from her travels. So another adventure is starting soon!
I have to catch the bus in 7 hours. Goodnight, all.
28 January 2010
KikoRomeo
I'm starting at KikoRomeo tomorrow! I finally got a call from them today after stopping by last week, resending my CV and portfolio to the Production Manager because my contact is "taking a break" from working with KikoRomeo, not hearing from them for over a week, and playing phone tag all of yesterday and today. Whew.
Lillianne, the Production Manager, called at 5:45 pm asking if I could come tomorrow at 9 am to meet with Norbert, the head of the design department. She will be in at ten, and I am invited to stay for the day, I'm assuming to see how things run. And, I'm to bring my portfolio to show.
I am very excited! A bit nervous too, because it's tomorrow, and I only learned about it today--but mostly excited. This is what I've been looking forward to since July when Mom and I came up with the idea while we were sitting on a beach in Rhode Island. I can't believe it's all starting tomorrow.
So, since I'm working at a fashion house, I have to be fashionable, right? I have to admit that I spent at least an hour tonight figuring out what I am going to wear. I think I figured it out, but we'll see what my sleepy self ends up putting on in the morning.
Good night, everyone.
Lillianne, the Production Manager, called at 5:45 pm asking if I could come tomorrow at 9 am to meet with Norbert, the head of the design department. She will be in at ten, and I am invited to stay for the day, I'm assuming to see how things run. And, I'm to bring my portfolio to show.
I am very excited! A bit nervous too, because it's tomorrow, and I only learned about it today--but mostly excited. This is what I've been looking forward to since July when Mom and I came up with the idea while we were sitting on a beach in Rhode Island. I can't believe it's all starting tomorrow.
So, since I'm working at a fashion house, I have to be fashionable, right? I have to admit that I spent at least an hour tonight figuring out what I am going to wear. I think I figured it out, but we'll see what my sleepy self ends up putting on in the morning.
Good night, everyone.
18 January 2010
07 January 2010
By Way Of Introduction
Hi.
I have absolutely no idea how many people are going to read this, regularly or even at all. But, for what it's worth, here we go. I've greeted you all.
If you do read this, I would love it if you'd let me know. I know, I know, the cliché author-not-so-subtly-begging-for-comments ploy. But I'm serious. The more interaction I get through this blog, the more I will want to keep writing.
So. What's this for? My thoughts, mostly. I'm in Kenya, living at home again. I've withdrawn from Wheaton. I'm interning for a fashion design company, KikoRomeo, here in Nairobi between now and July. I'm finally doing what I love. So this is so I can remember the things I was passionate about once these six months are behind me--to be able to go back and look at my ramblings and remember what I felt while it was all happening. Also, several people have asked me if there will be a way for them to keep track of what I'm doing. This is it, folks. (And, I am horrible at keeping a journal. Somehow, I've convinced myself that I'll be better at this.)
On to actual news. My grandmother and I arrived safely in Nairobi a few days before Christmas, despite delays in both Chicago and Brussels. We did our last minute shopping, went to the lessons and carols Christmas Eve service (African style) at the Anglican Cathedral, and hosted the NEGST faculty Christmas luncheon. In short, there was a lot going on, and lots of people I hadn't seen in a long time as well as some new faces (who, of course, knew who I was even though I had no idea who they were). It was lovely, really, to have Christmas at home again. New Years was relatively quiet, I stayed up late talking with a friend from high school, and watched a few fireworks that my brother and his friends set off. In the midst of all that, I hung out with a few high school friends, went to an alumni gathering at Rosslyn, and caught up for my 2.5 year absence. Also, at long last, I am reunited with my beloved Ethiopian food. Yay!
Nairobi has changed since I left. There are more cars on the roads, and it feels like there are more people. The roads are better in some places, and there are several new and improved malls (with new and not-improved prices). I haven't been to many of my old haunts yet, but I keep hearing about things that are different. NEGST (the campus where we live) has changed too--mostly in terms of people who aren't here anymore and new people in their places. It's still my Nairobi though, and my NEGST, and it's still wonderful to be home.
My family is traveling up to Mt. Kenya for a few days at the end of the week for a small weekend away before Jordan starts school on the 12th, and I'm hoping to get a few loose ends tied up with KikoRomeo before we go. I'm hoping to visit, and to talk to Isabel (my contact) and Ann (the head designer) about what exactly I'll be doing. All I know at this point is that I'll be learning dressmaking, pattern design and draping, all of which are very exciting. They work with only Kenyan materials, and make designs with a specific ethnic focus, calling it "radical Nairobi chic". For those of you who want to explore what they do, their website is www.kikoromeo.com. Right now, their website is not functional as they are redesigning it, but it should be back up soon. In the meantime, you can see some of their designs (and those of some other Kenyan and African designers) at www.fafakenya.org. Festival for African Fashion and Arts is an exciting new venture for Kenya, a week of international fashion shows with a focus on peace initiatives that was set up in reaction to the post-election violence in 2008. And, it's hosted in Nairobi in April. I'm excited to be here for it this year!
I think that's enough for an introduction. I have to leave some news for my next post, after all.
I have absolutely no idea how many people are going to read this, regularly or even at all. But, for what it's worth, here we go. I've greeted you all.
If you do read this, I would love it if you'd let me know. I know, I know, the cliché author-not-so-subtly-begging-for-comments ploy. But I'm serious. The more interaction I get through this blog, the more I will want to keep writing.
So. What's this for? My thoughts, mostly. I'm in Kenya, living at home again. I've withdrawn from Wheaton. I'm interning for a fashion design company, KikoRomeo, here in Nairobi between now and July. I'm finally doing what I love. So this is so I can remember the things I was passionate about once these six months are behind me--to be able to go back and look at my ramblings and remember what I felt while it was all happening. Also, several people have asked me if there will be a way for them to keep track of what I'm doing. This is it, folks. (And, I am horrible at keeping a journal. Somehow, I've convinced myself that I'll be better at this.)
On to actual news. My grandmother and I arrived safely in Nairobi a few days before Christmas, despite delays in both Chicago and Brussels. We did our last minute shopping, went to the lessons and carols Christmas Eve service (African style) at the Anglican Cathedral, and hosted the NEGST faculty Christmas luncheon. In short, there was a lot going on, and lots of people I hadn't seen in a long time as well as some new faces (who, of course, knew who I was even though I had no idea who they were). It was lovely, really, to have Christmas at home again. New Years was relatively quiet, I stayed up late talking with a friend from high school, and watched a few fireworks that my brother and his friends set off. In the midst of all that, I hung out with a few high school friends, went to an alumni gathering at Rosslyn, and caught up for my 2.5 year absence. Also, at long last, I am reunited with my beloved Ethiopian food. Yay!
Nairobi has changed since I left. There are more cars on the roads, and it feels like there are more people. The roads are better in some places, and there are several new and improved malls (with new and not-improved prices). I haven't been to many of my old haunts yet, but I keep hearing about things that are different. NEGST (the campus where we live) has changed too--mostly in terms of people who aren't here anymore and new people in their places. It's still my Nairobi though, and my NEGST, and it's still wonderful to be home.
My family is traveling up to Mt. Kenya for a few days at the end of the week for a small weekend away before Jordan starts school on the 12th, and I'm hoping to get a few loose ends tied up with KikoRomeo before we go. I'm hoping to visit, and to talk to Isabel (my contact) and Ann (the head designer) about what exactly I'll be doing. All I know at this point is that I'll be learning dressmaking, pattern design and draping, all of which are very exciting. They work with only Kenyan materials, and make designs with a specific ethnic focus, calling it "radical Nairobi chic". For those of you who want to explore what they do, their website is www.kikoromeo.com. Right now, their website is not functional as they are redesigning it, but it should be back up soon. In the meantime, you can see some of their designs (and those of some other Kenyan and African designers) at www.fafakenya.org. Festival for African Fashion and Arts is an exciting new venture for Kenya, a week of international fashion shows with a focus on peace initiatives that was set up in reaction to the post-election violence in 2008. And, it's hosted in Nairobi in April. I'm excited to be here for it this year!
I think that's enough for an introduction. I have to leave some news for my next post, after all.
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