There seems to be a new fashion brand in town. Kai|Zuri is an Afro Indian fusion brand which debuted on 17th September with a collection dubbed “Inayaat”. We spoke with Sristi Bosco, the founder and creative director of KAI | ZURI to find out more about this collection and the brand itself.
What is Kai | Zuri?
Kai | Zuri is an every day luxury fashion brand that is highly focussed on bringing in combinations of different cultures inclusive of handwork detailing incorporating roots from that of India- A land of diversity.
What does the name mean?
Kai | Zuri signifies the amalgamation of two languages Tamil (India) and Swahili (Africa) as follows:
“Kai”means “Hand” in Tamil and “Zuri” means “Beautiful” in Swahili so together it is “Beautiful Hand” as Kai | Zuri celebrates different techniques of hand work ranging from artisans across variant cultures.
And what was the inspiration for Kai|Zuri?
My inspiration for Kai|Zuri began with my love for clothes and dressing up as a child which now I understand is called the world of Fashion. The passion that I hold within me comes through as I indulge in my work that involves textiles and diverse handwork techniques.
What is the main focus of the brand?
My brand focuses on luxurious comfort that can be worn by one everyday. My apparel’s utility ranges from a casual day out with friends in the noon to an extravagant event at night. The apparel range has its own unique details that make them stand out with bounds of elegance.
What was the inspiration for the new collection?
India the land of diversity varies from each state ranging from south to north and the fabrics have an ancient practice attached to their identities making it more attractive and bringing out the raw beauty of my country’s insight into our rich culture and inspiration.
Inayaat the first collection of Kai|Zuri has gained it’s inspiration from an array of hand techniques such as ‘ajrak’ a unique form of block printing and indigo block prints merging with kantha stitch fabrics using natural dye. The collection stands out to be more unique as each piece focuses on different sleeve patterns that have gained their inspiration from medieval to millennial times.
Go behind the scenes of the shoot with Joram Model Management
Credits:
Models: ANAI BIOR & ZARA NSUBUGA from @jorammodelmanagement
Photography: @photo4fashion
Hair by: @hairbyzziwa
Makeup by: @dian_artistry
satisfashionug@gmail.com