Kenneth Izedonmwen
Born in Lagos, Kenneth Ize is using his cross-cultural experiences to produce new contemporary forms in the Nigerian fashion industry. The designer received his fashion and design diploma in 2015, at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, under Hussein Chalayan. In this same year Izedonmwen also received the Fred Adlmüller scholarship during his graduation show.
Kenneth officially launched his fashion brand in Lagos in 2013, immediately after his 3 year in university in which Bernhard Wilhelm headed the fashion department. His knowledge and diverse experience – from assisting Edun to Asher Levine in New York – has flourished Kenneth into a talented creator. He has been able to build an ethos, rooted in the exploring and reinterpreting of a myriad of cultural aesthetics. The brand reinterprets Nigerian craft to create an original perspective on luxury product for the new age modern man and woman.
The Kenneth Ize brand takes a sustainable approach to the design and production process, sourcing materials locally and fostering a fair and safe working space for all workers and artisans, a space where the designer and artisans often collaborate and influence the design process in unexpected ways.
Kenneth Ize's AW18 lookbook shot in Lagos, Nigeria
“The African fashion industry is rising due largely to personal stories that are uniquely narrated to create a space for diversity and culture, most of this can be seen in local craftmanship and hand made techniques.”