We are a little late to the party, but we can't stop gushing over Anyango Mpinga's 2019 collection,
Phonology. The collection features 'The Sound of Love', literally. The print was created from the sound waves of the words 'I love you' recorded in 25 languages.
10 of those languages are from Kenya's major tribes and the rest from languages of the cultures Anyango has interacted during her travels around the world.
The second is a newspaper humming bird print with the slogan, 'Free as a Human' written all over it
'.
Who is Anyango Mpinga?Anyango Mpinga launched her fashion career using her label, Kipusa, which she started in 2011. In 2015, she re-branded to
Anyango Mpinga, and joined a fledgling 'Slow Fashion' movement, whose school of thought emphasizes a a conscious consumption of fashion products, while focusing on a transparent, ethical and sustainable supply chain.
As a social rights activist, Anyango Mpinga's initiative, 'Free as a Human' rallies against human trafficking, child labour and sexual exploitation of young girls. It works closely with HAART Kenya (Awareness Against Human Trafficking) through donations from the sale of
Free as a Human branded items which go towards a shelter for female victims of trafficking aged between 6-18 years.
In 2014, Anyango was selected as one of the top finalists in the in the competition "Africa Designers for Tomorrow" organized by Berlin agency FA 254. In November 2016, she received the 'She Trades Collective' award from a Geneva-based United Nations Agency.
Mpinga CollectionsHer previous collections are Kondo Udo (2016), a collection that exists between masculine and feminine elements, thus bridging the gap between these contrasts using strong lines and undulating structure. Her 2017 collection, 'The Proverbial Dreamer', is a poetic collection that captures the transition from childhood into a woman who is bold and unapologetic. Literary Disenchantment (2018) is about the emancipation of women beyond the social construct of gender inequality. Inspired by a trip to Lamu, the collection features flowly, and feminine pieces.
A renown designer, Anyango Mpinga has been profiled in Vogue, ELLE, The Irish Times, the book,
Not African Enough by the NEST Collective, and
Mtindo Style Movers.
