Translating as ‘This is us’ in Kiswahili, Nisisi is the name Wairimu Maina has aptly given her brand of bags that are made by skilled tailors and craftsmen in Kenya. What started as a quest to create bespoke denim wear in 2018 naturally led to identifying the market need for well-priced, sustainably produced bags. From elegant leather duffles and messengers to more casual printed fanny packs and shoppers, what strikes me about Maina’s no-nonsense designs is her commitment to the local audience. "If we have Kenyan acceptance, I think we’d have achieved our goal," she told me.

In Converation With The Nisisi Factory

Words by Renuka Ramanujam

How do you feel about the Kenyan design scene?

Wairimu: The aesthetic was initially very conservative and homogenous but the past decade has seen a blow up in self-expression. People are embracing cultural accessories, experimenting with local patterns and are also accepting local designers more and more. This has given designers confidence to become better and bolder in their craft. I truly believe African fashion is the next frontier in international fashion because it’s unapologetic in its approach. Kenyan designers are definitely able to fight it out with other giants in the industry. We’re ready.

An element I love in your designs are the distinctive prints. Tell me about how you design with these.

Wairimu: At the beginning, we always created with fabrics we liked thinking, “If we like them, everyone would too." We quickly learned that’s not how it works. Now, we have a clear picture of what our customers like in terms of style, colours and patterns. Our next venture is to print our own fabrics. This will allow us creative freedom while consistently supplying our customers with products they’ve grown to love.

You can proudly say that The Nisisi Factory is a woman-owned business! Can you sum up that experience?

Wairimu: Not only is Nisisi woman-owned, I entered into the business late in life. Everyone was 20 years old and here I am, facing 40! Both aspects are daunting and gave me imposter syndrome. A lot of the young men around me were so overly confident with every small achievement that it took me a bit of time to know I was as good, if not better than many players.