Sustainable Fashion Designer Jose Hendo is Satisfashion UG’s July 2024 Cover Star

Championing bark cloth as a sustainable alternative in the fashion industry

Josephine Kyomuhendo, the creative force behind the label Jose Hendo, isn’t your typical fashion designer. Unlike many who dream of the glitz and glamour of the industry, Jose Hendo’s path began with a growing disillusionment. Having honed her skills in fashion design, a gnawing unease about the environmental impact of the fast-fashion cycle began to take root.

Here are a few excerpts from the story:

A Childhood Steeped in Creativity:

Jose Hendo’s upbringing in Uganda fostered a love for creativity. Surrounded by a family passionate about art and music, she describes her childhood home as a constant buzz of artistic endeavors. Her sisters delved into fine art and needlework, while Jose Hendo herself gravitated towards the art room, seeking solace in painting.

Interestingly, that environment revealed a hidden seamstress within Jose Hendo. Despite her later aversion to garment construction, she admits to a childhood love of dressing her dolls. From her mother’s leftover fabric scraps, she created elaborate outfits, showcasing a talent for upcycling and a knack for standing out.

Embracing Sustainability and Redefining Fashion:

For over two decades, Jose Hendo has championed bark cloth as a sustainable alternative in the fashion industry. She embraces experimentation, pushing the boundaries of how bark cloth can be used. From creating runway-worthy garments to avant-garde wall hangings, each creation carries a story, advocating for sustainability and sparking conversations about responsible fashion choices. “You see three stripes on the shirts and the garments? It is the three stripes which I as an artist use to say reduce, reuse, recycle,” Jose Hendo explains. “If you notice one of the stripes is longer than the others, that is reduce because reduce covers everything to a tee”