In June 2015, she was chatting with a cousin who wanted to buy a unique dress at a fair price. Njeru immediately offered to sew her one. “I sent her images of African women in the kind of dress she wanted. I told her I could make something equally pretty. That is how I got my first client, even though I had never made a complete outfit,” said Njeru. Two fittings in, the dress was perfect. Her cousin loved it, and this set her off on her journey as a fashion designer. Njeru works in order, and in a good week, she says, she can sew outfits for five clients. “Depending on the item being designed and tailored, my business can bring in about Sh20,000 a week, as I sell a dress at between Sh3,500 and Sh4,000,” she said.
Njeru has grown her client list largely through referrals and counts among her customer’s people living abroad. Most recently for this latter group, she designed dresses for clients in the United Arab Emirates and in the US.
In Kenya, she grows her brand by showcasing her designs on local runways, including university pageants where she dresses contestants. She describes her designs and style as bold in terms of color and design. “I like to stand out from the crowd, to express myself in the most exceptional way possible. However, I ensure that I don’t bring out something that is too loud — I want to excite and create interest, not shock and create confusion,” said Njeru. “I aim to create something that identifies who I am, but still looks dazzling when adapted by someone else.”
This feature was first published in The Standard.