Bonni Mulinge, owner of clothing brand JipeApparel, welcomed us to their home where I got to have a conversation with her about the brand. Located in Kileleshwa, you can tell that the space is a peaceful and a wonderful spot for creatives to express themselves. Their latest collection, Asili, is impossible to miss as it’s on display right as you enter. From the fabrics’ texture to the finer details, I’m already excited to hear what inspired it. As we sit down for a brief introduction I learn that Bonnie is a former commercial pilot who flew commercial planes for sixteen years; namely The BOEING 737, 777, and 767, for Kenya and Qatar airways.

So what inspired you to start your own fashion brand?

I used to travel a lot and my friends would always ask me to bring them stuff from shops like H&M and Target, and I would wonder, is there no homegrown brand that gives people the same feel, vibe and quality, care, and comfort? So I thought about how I could inject some of my travel knowledge and intuition into a homegrown brand that actually caters to the African body and physique. Because everytime you buy something from abroad, either your hips or bum don’t fit as they might not cater to fuller bodies, and I figured I could change that. I could make something for us by us basically.

Can you tell me about the mission and values of your brand?

As a Kenyan brand our first ethos is to make sure that everyone feels like they’re part of a community. Jipe is a community that aims to make sure that everyone feels comfortable, important, and able to exist authentically as themselves in any piece of cloth we make for them. To push this narrative further, anytime you walk into the Jipe store, any specific print or material that catches your eye, we can make it bespoke to your personal taste and preference. If you want a dress made from a material you saw in a pair of shorts in store, we can make it happen on time — the whole experience you get at Jipe store is different.

What are your thoughts on the current state of the Kenyan Fashion Industry?

I think majority Kenyan brands are growing, but still operating at international standards to some extent. Brands like Jipe, Metamorphosized, AKIBA or if you just walk into Embe Creatives and see Regalia, you’ll see that all these brands are bringing fashion to the forefront. We’re working hard, creating, and in some way we are connected to international experiences; we create with a global mindset. At Jipe we are even able to partner with brands set up in Western Africa.

Please tell us more about the ASILI collection and what inspired it.

The term ‘Asili’ is a swahili word meaning origin. After two years of mishaps, running the ropes and testing different designs and fabrics, JipeApparel has found its rhythm and community that is centered around happiness, wellness, and natural calming hues. This is clear in the cohesiveness of our new collections and also in our confidence going forward.

What are some challenges you have faced as a fashion brand and how have you overcome them?

Haha let me tell you the main challenge has to be fabric sourcing. The issue is in a country such as ours, we have killed the cotton industry, so sometimes you have to rely on EPZ leftovers or ask someone to screen print a fabric which is a hustle in itself because it’s not a guarantee that it will come out right. So to counter these problems I opted to source my fabric from all over Africa. I’ve traveled all the way into the villages to see how weavers weave fabric and bought from them.

Another problem is tailors. It’s taken us ages to get the perfect fit for Jipe, but we’re so lucky to now have an in-house tailor who can sew across the board. From dresses to pants to tops, and he sews within two to three days — not like the regular shifty tailors who are either prone to delays or shoddy work.

Can you share any sustainability practices your brand follows?

So far any offcuts from our fabric are turned into some very beautiful tote bags, and in that way we are making a change in the world by reducing fabric wastage. We also make a lot of patchwork designs in our collections from the offcuts so in that way we minimize fabric wastage.

What are your strategies for building and maintaining customer loyalty?

One of the strategies is Pop-ups. We also have Zama sessions powered by Uzima Network. Our loyal clients will mostly get invites to attend these parties/pop-ups. We have a culture of Fashion, Music, and Wellness infused into our brand so when you attend our pop-ups you will notice that we are more about elevating experiences in these events and making them more wholesome. We’ll hand out seamoss shots or jaba juice infused cocktails — these just ensure you’re aware and available to experience the vibes we have curated. At the event the DJ is playing well curated music that enables you to interact with others instead of commotion and noise.

What role does innovation play in your brand’s identity?

Innovation is a term that’s been deeply entrenched in the Jipe brand from the get go. When you walk into the store you’ll see some very nice graffiti art of our name and a nice display rack of the clothes, and when you walk around you’ll notice the environment is very creator friendly. We are creating a hub whereby all clients feel welcome, and soon we will be open to creatives of any art form from musicians, artists, photographers — everyone is welcome. We want to have a whole community for collaboration. We want to be able to invite other fashion designers if they have any interest in working at Jipe. If you have talent we got you.

Can you talk about any memorable milestones your brand has achieved?

In December of 2023, we were invited by Threaded tribes to go to Ghana, it was phenomenal. We had a pop-up in January 2024 and it was so well-attended. We had King Kerby coming through with a music set and some wonderful Djs too, and now the Ghanaian market is well aware of us — some brands even expressed interest in having their pieces displayed and sold at the Jipe store.

How do you ensure that your brand remains relevant in a constantly evolving industry and how do you stay updated on the fashion trends?

At Jipe we are our own community and we tend to get the majority of our inspiration from our clientele. We also keep abreast of what is happening in the fashion scene, always researching and evolving and putting the best team together. We have the best team of designers and social media experts and we’re always having meetings to decide on our next move. We are creating our own trends too.

What future plans or expansions do you have for your brand?

First of all we are going to open our first flagship store. This whole building will turn into an open shop. We also have a Winter 2024 collection coming soon so y’all are going to be warm and looking trendy. Can’t wait for y’all see see what we have planned.

Photos courtesy of Cormac Ajwang and JipeApparel.