Inversk Magazine Fashion Issue - July 2021 by Enterprise Magazine Kenya

02 I Inversk Magazine I June - July 2021

INVERSK MAGAZINE

CONTENTS - JULY 2021

| SPECIAL ISSUE

8 | First Word // Kimani Patrick

COVER STORY 10

| FASHION BRAND FROM AFRICA From Creating 500 Movies to Building a Global Fashion Brand, How Nigeria’s Dennis Osadebe is Taking over the World of Fashion. BY KIMANI PATRICK

FOCUS 06

| A BRIEF HISTORY OF DIGITAL FASHION Digital Fashion Is a Long-Term Alternative to Fast Fashion: The fashion sector accounts for 8 to 10% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. BY JOEL OCHIENG

| HOW OFFICIAL IS YOUR OFFICIAL DRESSING? The first step of winning your clients’ confidence is how you present yourself to them. Before heading to those meetings always ensure that you dress to attract customers not to kill their confidence in you’. The ball is now in your coat, play it well..

FROM INVERSK BLOG

| FIRST OF HIS KIND - AFRICAN SIZE CHART BY D&D CLOTHING

D&D Clothing is making available a seemingly bespoke dress for everyone, irrespective of gender, gender type or shape. At D&D Clothing there is a perfect-fitted dress for you as you rock trendy while looking African.. BY IRINA STASIUK

SPOTLIGHT - FEATURES 12

| HOW KENYA’S FOREMEN IS REDEFINING THE MODERN DAY MEN SHOE GAME The Foremen story began in 2013 in the historic streets of Istanbul, drawing inspiration from the stylish and elegant residents, whose shoes were “well structured, high quality and aesthetics were paramount with no detail left to chance.” BY ANTONIO AMOS

| ROLLS-ROYCE BOAT TAIL: A BILLIONAIRES MUST-HAVE In a luxury automobile market where even “off the shelf” models may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is left to the imagination how much it costs to drive home in your own coach-built Rolls (the brand would not disclose the final price). BY RYAN WILLIAMS

| THE STORY OF A FASHION ENTREPRENEUR – HOW A KENYAN ACTUARY BECAME A FASHION DESIGNER! BY FATIHA SHABIR

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INVERSK MAGAZINE

CONTENTS - JULY 2021

| SPECIAL ISSUE

Pg. 8 CONTENTS - July 2021

PHILIPP PLEIN'S VIEWS ON CHANGES IN FASHION AND COMPANY ADJUSTMENTS By Fatiha Shabir

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First Word

The Evolution of Africa’s Fashion Industry is Happening at the Right Time.

BY KIMANI PATRICK f you walk into any fashion store today, anywhere in the world, the names will be similar and familiar - majorly from the West. Only a few will b e made from “ w ax hollandais”, “ankara” or “kitenge” - the original African-centric designs. But why is that so? Majorly, this is because the fashion design from African has been in its infant stages for the longest time. Sadly enough, when we grew up, it was and still is not amusing thank no bank manager or leader in the society will wear a suit made in Kenya or another country – it has to be Turkey, Italy, Hong Kong or somewhere else in the west. But things are changing now, majority of our population and expatriate community is increasingly believing in fashion that exists within the black experience and multiple voices across the sub-Saharan Africa are taking up space and redefining what it means to be black or African. Numerous designers from the recent past have created a credible, sustainable identity for African fashion beyond the remit of brands both physically and ideologically seated in the West. While it comes with challenges, putting Africa brands among the top

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fashion designers more of a reality than a dream. First, it is because Africans are native problem solvers and second is because our continent is endowed with lots of raw materials enough to make this possible. The evolution of Africa’s fashion industry is creating jobs for the youth of the continent "from weaving to creating, producing to retailing, and more", says 36-year-old Loza Maléombho. And the message African designers want to convey is about the need to embrace our culture and preserve our strong traditions through any means possible. As this happens, we have taken the initiative to highlight progress made in fashion design in Africa in this special issue of our magazine – to celebrate their stories and inspire more citizens of our continent to continue putting African on the global fashion industry. It is time for African fashion to stop seeking approval and unapologetically announce itself.

Kimani N. Patrick CEO & Publisher kp@carlstic.com +254710254524

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Editorial Features: Debbie Gitau content@inversk.co.ke | +254 743 306504

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Inversk Magazine is a publication of The Carlstic Group Limited. Views expressed in this publication do not in any way express the views of the publisher.

INVERSK MAGAZINE

DIGITAL FASHION

A Brief History of Digital Fashion Digital Fashion Is a Long-Term Alternative to Fast Fashion: The fashion sector accounts for 8 to 10% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.

BY JOEL OCHIENG

C Carlings, a Scandinavian shop, debuted the world's first digital- only clothes line in 2018. Each of the 19 pieces was sold for between £ 9 and £ 30. Carlings would get a photo from the customer, and a team of 3D designers would edit the digital clothing onto the client. “By selling the digital collection for £ 15 per piece, we've democratized the fashion industry's economy,” said Kicki Perrson, brand manager at Carlings. Carlings were emboldened to explore more after the success of their debut digital collection. In 2019, they released the “Last Statement T-Shirt,” the first augmented reality graphic shirt. This top makes use of Spark AR technology and a smartphone to digitally update the visual appearance of the shirt. The shirt's design changes fluidly when matched with unique Instagram and 06 I Inversk Magazine I July 2021

Facebook filters. According to their website, you can show hundreds of phrases or graphics "without ever buying another t-shirt." Blockchain Technology Used to Sell Digital Couture: The world's first digital couture garment was sold on the Ethereum blockchain in May 2019. Unlike Carlings' more cheap digital sculptures, this high-fashion one cost $9,500 USD. This one- of-a-kind design was produced by The Fabricant, a digital fashion firm. Why Digital Apparel Could Take Over the Fashion Industry 1. Digital Fashion Is a Long-Term Alternative to Fast Fashion: The fashion sector accounts for 8 to 10% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Almost three-fifths of all apparel created ends up in incinerators or landfills within a few years after production. Consumers may live out their fast fashion fantasies while substantially lowering their environmental effect thanks to digital clothes. When you buy digital apparel, you aren't simply decreasing the effect of one t -shirt. Y ou are also lowering the amount of trash produced throughout the design and sampling processes.

Dress-X says that the entire carbon footprint of making one digital item is 95% less than that of a typical physical garment. Even huge physical stores may gain from digital fashion without modifying their product offers. For example, PUMA collaborated with The Fabricant to develop the ‘Day Zero' capsule line, which had a low environmental impact. PUMA built a digital proof of concept for this campaign, which removed the need for sampling, handling, traveling, and other difficulties. They developed and marketed the tangible product after perfecting the proof of concept. 2. Digital fashion lowers production costs and shortens the time to market. PUMA lowered their water use by up to 17.4 percent for this collection17 by modifying their product innovation process. PUMA also cut their time to market and expenditures by 30%. 3. It is gender and body inclusive. The concept that everyone, regardless of body shape, size, or gender, may wear anything is promoted by digital fashion. It puts a whole new spin on the term "one size fits all." The vast majority, if not all, of the Internet fashion firms provide genderless and sizeless items. Digital clothing has the potential to be really universal. 4. It provides limitless opportunities for creative self-expression. Digital designers aren't constrained by nonsense like gravity and physics. Designers can play with different materials and textures. “In the digital age, we have the ability to go utterly insane. “We can wear a water garment or have lights everywhere and vary your textile-based on your mood,” explains Amber Slooten, co-founder of The Fabricant. Finally, this allows for more selfexpression. Y ou might be able to identify pieces that represent a more abstract version of how you want to be perceived.

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INVERSK MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT FEATURE

Philipp Plein's Views on Changes in Fashion and Company Adjustments According to the designer, the infrastructure was becoming too large with many individuals he “didn't even know the names”. As a result, new strategic appointments were made.

BY DAVIT BRET

I In the world of fashion, you don't have to seek far for answers to know who Philipp Plein is and how his flamboyant eponymous label earns money. Plein's ow n social media presence, F or example, his Instagram as the Financial Times put it, has photographs of “his black Rolls-Royce Wraith, Lamborghini Aventador, and properties from Cannes to Lugarno to Lexington Avenue. L as t ye ar w he n Cov id- 19 limitations in Italy were loosened and 08 I Inversk Magazine I July 2021

commercial operations resumed, the designer took advantage to hold an exclusive IRL tour meant to take the audience through the company's new strategic strategy and challenges for 2021. In his address on the evolution of communication, Plein remarked that “fashion is finally changing. “The rate of change has shifted,” said Plein, “Today's consumers want to see magazines immediately, forget it in six months, and want something new.” Plain also noted that the distribution of communication has also changed due to social media eliminating filters to allow direct communication with the customer. Previously, the editor would pick who would be the next fashion brand, and Vogue would pick who were the hottest businesses, but this no longer works. This

paradigm has died, and it is now “up to the customer to decide.” As a result, fashion editors have lost their power to social media. For instance, Plein likened Anna Wintour, a prominent editor to a “queen without a kingdom" for lack of readership. “Why should I advertise in a magazine that sells 60,000 copies? I make an Instagram post and I have 50,000 likes in one picture? “Plein quizzed. Plein then faulted the role of designers in today's fashion industry saying that they “work for anyone who pays money” instead of conceptualizing the DNA of a brand, which is confusing the industry. He added that most brands are experiencing an identity crisis since they just “glance around, see who is cool now, and try to imitate them.” In response to the varied approach investment groups use when taking over fashion businesses, Plein emphasized his pride in being financially independent. He argued that companies should not use the Covid -19 pandemic as an excuse, since it impacts businesses and the economy in the same way that it impacts individuals – It's likely to kill you if you have underlying issues. “I have to admit that I was a little worried at first... but now I'm more hopeful about the scenario. We can't complain; it was unpleasant, but it didn't affect us as much as we expected.” The designer added. To further prove his point, he admitted to rejecting approaches from investors in 2018 and 2019 willing to buy his company at 750 million euros because the brand is “his life”. “My first goal was to gain money, but you quickly realize that money does not make you happy and I discovered in this firm is far more than that; it is a cause to exist,” Plein said. Instead, the new challenges motivated him to change the direction and vision of the company. Plein restructured the company along several axes. He made changes in senior management, reconsidered the wholesale and retail channels, as well as the Plein Sport and Billionaire brands, fortified the internet approach, and finally launched new licenses. According to the designer, the infrastructure was becoming too large with many individuals he “didn't even know the names”. As a result, new strategic appointments were made. Riccardo Pasero joined Philipp Plein as a chief financial officer, following a long career at Kering and consulting for real estate players. He replaced Gilles Gaucher -Cazalis. Pasero said that the group demonstrated resilience in 2020, in the face of the challenges. Although earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and .

INVERSK MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT FEATURE

amortization did not reach the previously stated figures of 40 million to 50 million euros, projections are still in double digits. However, the overall turnover will be down 30% as a result of the pandemic's impact on the wholesale and retail sectors, as well as the demonstrations in Hong Kong. The lockdown in Italy also hit Philip Plein, with store sales dropping by 60% since Italian consumers account for 30% of total sales. In direct retail, the business also shut five outlets between Amsterdam and the United States due to non- profitability. The wholesale channel was already in trouble, but the group aided its partners by promising to cancel purchases during the epidemic. “All of the brands, including ours, began to operate directly online, effectively killing the wholesale market. We are killing wholesale while moaning about wholesale going down,” the designer said Philip Plein will go online for the relaunch of the Plein Sport and Billionaire collections. Plein Sport, launched in 2016, was temporarily stopped “due to its success, which cannibalized the Philipp Plein brand and conflicted with the perception of the first line.” Plein revealed that wholesale sales of the sportswear line produced 70 million euros in its first year. Eventually, half of the firm’s 30 stores dedicated to Plein Sport were closed and the rest transformed into Philipp Plein shops. Billionaire, which is also part of the company, "was losing money last year and this year," but the impact on overall sales was minimal because the label accounted for barely 10% of total revenues. “Let's say Billionaire is a costly pastime, and we're developing it with Philipp Plein's knowledge,” he explained. In general, the corporation is changing its emphasis away from the wholesale channel and toward an Omnichannel strategy via mono-brand shops (both directly controlled and franchised) and online platforms. In 2021, internet sales increased by 20%, prompting Plein to investigate new ways of conducting business on digital channels. According to Plein, the firm first increased its presence on Farfetch, where it was ranked the second men's clothing brand during Black Friday. This was consis te nt w ith the company's e-commerce, where the average basket size was roughly 800 euros. Russia, Germany, the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Poland are the top internet sales markets. Last month, the firm announced its arrival on Tmall and stated that it will appear on Amazon's Luxury Stores in January. The overall objective is to link with 15 various platforms to target and

engage local markets. As a result, product selection and designs will be increased and tweaked to better suit each market and audience. “Every day, we transport over 200 boxes from one single store in Milan. Orders on Farfetch took 1 million euros from one shop this year,” Plein said, emphasizing the obstacles that come with such a shift in strategy, such as managing the warehouse and reconsidering budgets and orders for each shop. “However, if you want to be successful online, you must also be successful offline. I believe in brick-andmortar stores; I need them because I want to take people on an experience,” Plein added, “at the end of the day, the secret is that there is no secret. We all use the same materials and even the same vendors. The distinction is in the fantasy you sell.” To further support the company's physical distribution expansion, Elisa Lubinski was elevated to lead the Omnichannel development of the direct retail and franchise businesses. Lubinski joined Philipp Plein last year after working for Tod's for 12 years and Gucci before that. The group will establish two directly owned stores in China as part of

its 2021 retail plan, in addition to the two current doors in Shanghai, an outlet, and the company's Chinese warehouse. In the United States, the business is seeking properties in New Y ork's SoHo and Miami, with plans to establish two units by the end of 2021 to complement the existing ones in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Other direct openings will include a four-story flagship shop in Frankfurt in February, as well as a shop and outlet in the Spanish cities of Marbella and Malaga. In terms of third-party sites, the brand stated that it plans to add 15 to 20 new sites next year. As part of the new Mercury Towers real estate development in Malta, the business will open two doors next year and one in 2023. Other units are set to debut in Poland, South Africa, South Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The firm is also looking for new locations in Turkey and is in talks to expand into Japan and Latin America, notably Mexico, Colombia, Panama, and Brazil. The final line is that, like it or not, Plein appears to be having the final laugh as he expands his empire, with or without the express permission of fashion's conventional elite; he doesn't need it anyhow.

July 2021 I Inversk Magazine I 09

Cover Story

Fashion Brand from Africa From Creating 500 Movies to Building a Global Fashion Brand, How Nigeria’s Dennis Osadebe is Taking over the World of Fashion BY KIMANI PATRICK

D Dennis Osadebe is a founder of International African Fashion brand D&D Clothing, who, by developing his brand around the image of an elite African lifestyle, built one of the most successful fashion empires. Dennis grew up in Nigeria and during his last classes in school in the evening was selling second hand clothes. While working at the market, he was inspired to begin designing his own T- shirts, and styling the clothes for clients, in order to sell more. His creativity didn't know the limits and he started styling second hand clothes mixed with Ankara fabrics, to create a uniqueness. But the life of an entrepreneur is not as easy as it looks. There are a lot of roadblocks one might face while building an empire from scratch. Start travelling from early age and living in different parts of the world, Dennis Osadebe's vision of his future was growing bigger and bigger. Despite going through this tough phase, Dennis Osadebe kept himself motivated and worked towards his goal of becoming successful. He worked in different places until he started 10 I Inversk Magazine I July 2021

his first own business. Dennis Osadebe loves to tell a story about his entertainment company. Making his own movies, recording the music, it's a creativity that gives him too much joy. Created more than 500 movies in Nigeria, the industry was facing problems with dresses and designs of the actors which lacked uniqueness. Dennis can never sit when new ideas comes, and he got a chance to travel to Dubai and explore new market. "Dubai is not easy city to start your company, especially movie equipment is too expensive, and I was not ready for this" - Dennis says. After a couple of months of hustling in Dubai and losing hope in Arab fairy tale, he almost came back home to Nigeria. All people around him didn't really understand why he needs to start over again if he can continue his career in filmmaking. "Sometimes you feel that you have reached the peak, and you need more for yourself. Y ou see yourself higher, bigger, with new challenges and goals, bigger dreams. There is the whole world open for you, why do

you need to sit in one place?" - Dennis is saying. That was one of the hardest period in his life, and he drew a profound lesson from the experience: “I believed in myself.” Starting with 1 stitching machine at his house in Dubai, he started creating his designs from Ankara fabrics. Market in Dubai is very huge for tailoring services as there are so many African people who work there. That's how Dennis Osadebe became the first person who offers tailoring services for Africans in all Emirates. The demand grew very fast and after 3 month already he rented his office with 10 sewing machines and hired tailors from different countries to pay attention to quality. From the inception of his brand, Dennis’s creations were characterized by a style that evoked the look of African heritage. This brand has been a game changer in his life as it has become his first 7-figure clothing company with a massive reach of people who like African fashion all round the world. Besides this, he owns several other brands and

INVERSK MAGAZINE

COVER STORY

has made his investments in several ventures. While talking about his success as an entrepreneur, Dennis told Inversk that, "As a kid, I always wondered what made me distinct from others. I discovered the fact of how to make money through different sources. I had no guaranteed business and whatever I have achieved today is because of the mistakes I have earlier made and the people I have met in my life." The versatile businessman has his businesses spread all over the world and he is saying: “Now it’s time for Africa”. Dennis’s vision appealed to a wide spectrum of people, and his label quickly turned into an empire. Seeing how his clothing was associated with a certain lifestyle, with African touch, he gained recognition in Middle east and Europe, and now, he is coming back to Africa to establish his own production center and give back all knowledge and style to his home. He opened a manufacturing center in Kenya, Nairobi which became the main distributing place for all East Africa. Coming to Kenya during Covid-19 time was the harder in his business lifetime. No-one has expected and believed that the situation that we are now can ever happen in our world. It hit all businesses and D&D Clothing was among it. Changing the offline business to online in 2 month was the right step in this period, considering that 85% of D&D Clothing customers are from USA, Canada, Europe and Australia. Right now brand is offering custom made services in

Kenya like wedding or evening gowns or outfits for ladies and gentlemen from the highest quality fabrics. Right now company is booked for exclusive wedding gowns and suits till February 2022 and Dennis Osadebe is proud that we can give such a quality to African market, and its made in Kenya. The company is working on increasing the export of the made in Kenya clothing to the world, and they finally shifted all brand production from United Arab Emirates to Kenya. Apart from the fact that he is new in Kenya, and not many people know about his brand in this part of the world, in 1 year he has already reached 7 countries. The company helps other entrepreneurs in the fashion field to grow and become representative of his international brand in their own region. As you can become the official part of the whole organization, and they will support you with all documents, products, store design and give you official right to distribute the D&D Clothing products. “To become our official representative is a big joy for every entrepreneur, as they join not only a company, they become a part of African Fashion Movement” - says the CEO of D&D Clothing. We should mention the fact, that D&D Clothing is making their own fabrics. Dennis Osadebe makes sure, that it’s not just stylish, but every print has its own story about African history. "I want to change the mindset of people, that everything we

produce in Africa – it’s not quality. Y es, we do lack the training, but how can I expect excellent finishing from my tailors in Kenya, if they were not taught so? If their mother, or teacher has the same quality as her, how can we expect to give something that we don't have? So it's not their mistake, it was there for decades. So now it’s time to travel out there, to learn from the best, and bring back to our country." - Dennis Osadebe is saying. And that’s true, he brought 18 expats to Kenya, to train and teach local tailors the quality and standards their brand needs. Training and teaching people takes a very big part of Dennis's Osadebe job. The company was invited to take part in different NGO programs in Kenya, where they help single moms to improve their stitching skills, earn money for their living in tailoring field and the company gives employment to the best hardworking people who would like to grow with company. D&D Clothing has created a fashion courses to learn all fundamental information about how to start your own fashion brand, how to understand a difference between fabrics, fashion seasons and shows. Students after the course can build their own fashion brand and they are showing very great results. D&D Clothing help them to produce their designs and sell it. Dennis believes in the collaborative efforts of all creative people in Africa. He partners with photographers, makeup artists, models and other professionals, with who they create the best fashion projects and campaigns. Among his numerous awards were the World Fashion Awards, where he took 3rd place as African Designer among whole countries in the world. D&D Clothing took part in more than 15 fashion shows so far and they do not plan to stop. In their schedule already London and Los Angeles Fashion Week for African fashion. In his plans, Dennis is set to open as many branches all over Africa as possible, and to make sure that the whole world is wearing made in Africa designs. “Fashion is not what you wear, it is what you feel, wearing a brand. And wearing D&D Clothing you feel on top on the world” he says. And now Dennis has earned every right to be enjoying a successful way to a victory lap, and watch how his company conquers the world. July 2021 I Inversk Magazine I 11

INVERSK MAGAZINE

SHOE GAME

How Kenya’s Foremen is Redefining the Modern Day Men Shoe Game The Foremen story began in 2013 in the historic streets of Istanbul, drawing inspiration from the stylish and elegant residents, whose shoes were “well structured, high quality and aesthetics were paramount with no detail left to chance.”

en, think about it: what defines you as a man? We are not talking about your pe rs onal responsibilities or that nice beard that makes you masculine; we are talking about your shoe game! Ask any lady, and they will tell you that the pair you adorn – whether for work or a social event. The shoe you wear plays a huge role in determining whether you get their number or not. Go ahead and ask your girl, and the answer will be the same. The Foremen, a popular high-end men’s footwear store in Kenya knows this

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BY ANTONIO AMOS perfectly well, and that’s why they have invested time and resources to redefine the modern-day men’s shoe game, bringing you some awesome pairs that blend in any occasion. The Foremen story began in 2013 in the historic streets of Istanbul, drawing inspiration from the stylish and elegant residents, whose shoes were “well structured, high quality and aesthetics were paramount with no detail left to chance. ”

between 1998 and 1999? Well, that was 22 years ago, when the footwear industry experienced a massive change. Prada became one of the most popular shoe brands by introducing a unique sports collection that made other big fashion companies follow suit. It’s said that the footwear industry experiences a massive change in style every 20 years. Now, fast-forward huge changes have been experienced in the fashion industry. When it comes to dressing shoes, especially, brands have re-introduced older designs, making them even more adorable A Look at the Footwear Industry for the gentlemen that care much about Here are some interesting facts. their shoe game. Y ou can find stunning lace -up shoes, slip- on, monk strap shoes, Remember Prada Sports somewhere

INVERSK MAGAZINE

SHOE GAME

loafers, and, of course, the popular Chelsea boots that blend well in any occasion — be it a wedding, office wear, or just a casual shoe worn with a nice pair of jeans. Importance of Dress Shoes and why they Matter for The Foremen

what kind of background Clarice Starling came from by just looking at their shoes.

A good pair represents your attention to detail: Ladies will tell you this better — they can know how organized What is the one thing that you wear that fits you are by just looking at your shoe game. Men have learned to care about the description below? their shoes, going beyond that nice combination of trousers, shirts, and  Sharpens your style jackets. They now adorn stylish pairs  Is a status symbol and prove they have a sharp eye for the  Women love and know it small details. Call them sophisticated! Got an idea? No? Well, the answer is Shoes (dress shoes, for that matter)! Y ou see, just as mentioned above, shoes are a key ingredient when it comes to every man’s style, and here’s why:

A good pair makes you appear sharp: From head all the way down to the toe, a nice pair of shoes will bring your A-game when it comes to style. It’s actually the “wow” factor. Comfort and style are two of the most important A good pair shows your status! That’s right. aspects to look for in a shoe. A wrong Since time immemorial, shoes have played a pair of shoes can make even the classiest significant role in people’s status. Hannibal outfit look trashy and the right pair Lecter, for instance, could determine

“

COMFORT AND STYLE ARE TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS TO LOOK FOR IN A SHOE.

”

can make the simplest outfits stand out. Three Must-Have Shoes In Every Guy’s Wardrobe 1. Black Dress Shoes These are a classic. Simple, Stylish and Comfortable. Can be paired with suits, denim and chinos. Perfect for either a formal or a casual affair. There are few things that don’t team up well with Black. The Foremen offer a variety of black shoes, from loafers, brogues, oxfords, monk straps, moccasins, derby shoes and so on. 2. Brown Dress Shoes These are huge alternatives to black shoes. They look rich and compliment most of your outfits very well, allowing you to switch it up and experiment a little. 3. Boots These have an allure and are extremely attractive. They work great with casuals and can be teamed with jeans, cargos and corduroys. The Foremen offers a wide range, from ankle-length boots, chukkas, Chelsea’s, desert snub nose fry, riding boots, army boots, cowboy boots, motorcycle boots… They will also make you look taller. The Foremen allow you to stand out with some of the best stylish shoes. They make high-end shoes from top brands in the world affordable, allowing you to turn heads when you grace any occasion. The company dares to be unique and different. Unlike other brands out there, the Foremen deals in luxury shoes, selling them directly to you so that you won’t incur costs of packaging, middlemen, and mass distribution. Y ou get quality, comfort, mobility, and most importantly, variety! To get in touch with The Foreman contact them at + 254 708 676 723 or follow them on Instagram. July 2021 I Inversk Magazine I 13

INVERSK MAGAZINE

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail: A billionaires Must-Have

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INVERSK MAGAZINE

FEATURES

BY RYAN WILLIAMS

olls-Royce makes the absolute best vehicles on the planet and it's a well-established reality for anybody acquainted with the auto business. The a p p e a l a nd s t u n n ing tastefulness of a Rolls-Royce makes it certain to view an individual being stunning, however few know about the interaction and craftsmanship that goes into molding a solitary piece of this car wonder. This sumptuous brand, is very well known in consolidating an exemplary strategy- Coach building. Coachbuilding, for Rolls-Royce, is anything but another idea, it has been utilized in the past to make marques, yet the new improvement makes it an existential piece of the new Boat Tail and the extravagance cruisers on the way off the industrial facility floor of Rolls- Royce. To begin, it is necessary to define the term "coach- built." When only the rich could buy automobiles in the late 1800s, car firms would only produce chassis and coachbuilders would then design each car's customized body. Rolls-Royce was one of the last businesses to abandon the method, delaying the move to unibody manufacture until the Second World War (the process of fusing the chassis and body). Even as it began to focus on “production” models, Rolls-Royce

continued to build coach- built vehicles in extremely restricted quantities for wealthy customers. With the jewel box-like Sweptail, Rolls-Royce launched a fully customisable Coach build program in 2018. The one-off motorcar represented a sort of revival for Rolls Royce, w ith every feature custom-made to fit strict standards. In a luxury automobile market where even “off the shelf” models may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is left to the imagination how much it costs to drive home in your own coach-built Rolls (the brand would not disclose the final price). This takes us to the 19-foot-long Boat Tail, an extravagant car created for a group of consumers who approached Rolls. The first Boat Tail took four years to manufacture, but Rolls-Royce believes that this car alone required the equivalent of 20 years in man-hours and 1,813 distinctive new parts. Boat Tail combines traditional 1930sera Rolls design with characteristics of the Jclass yachts preferred by its three customers. The instrument panel is burnished with laborious guilloché etching, a tribute to luxury clocks carried many steps beyond the pale by the involvement of BOVET 1822. The Swiss luxury business was called on board to work with Rolls- master Royce's artisans to create dramatically redesigned dashboard "clocks."

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INVERSK MAGAZINE

FEATURES

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail; the furthest down the line prologue to the brand's restricted setup, denotes the start of another time for Rolls Royce with regards to hand-made body plans. Coachbuilding at its embodiment is the specialty of handcrafting a vehicle's body plan over its undercarriage and it furnishes unlimited conceivable outcomes to play with a vehicle's plan. The yacht-enlivened Boat Tail is the reasonable and contemporary vision of the strategy that has required four years to appear. Nonetheless, there is considerably more to this than meets the eye. The Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is the first automobile to come equipped with its own extended umbrella and cocktail table. The 2021 Rolls Royce Boat Tail is a fourseater luxury automobile that measures 19 feet in length. Rather than being convertible, the roof of the Rolls Royce Boat Tail is totally detachable. The owner may open the back deck by just pressing a button. The back end of the vehicle automatically raises up and opens an umbrella. This vehicle is ideal for those who value maximum luxury. This vehicle has a s e parate c hampagne c hille r to accommodate the owner's choice bottle. The car is powered by the same engine as the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which features a 6.75-litre, 563-hp twin- turbo V12 engine. In 2017, the RollsRoyce Sweptail was the most expensive automobile ever sold. In terms of luxury, the 2021 Rolls-Royce boat tail has now surpassed this vehicle. The plan that will be appeared is first attracted by hand to get an exact image of what the customer needs. It is then hand tailored onto an earth model with minor defects smoothed out during the cycle. The entire plan is then digitized utilizing current instruments then, at that point metal sheets are combined by hand over the earth model to get an unblemished acknowledgment of the entire dream. A particularly one-off perpetually high- quality vehicle project expects a very long time to create unmistakable outcomes and the outside is only one of its numerous measurements. A few parts should be explicitly made to work out positively for the general elements of the vehicle. An expected 1813 individual segments must be especially worked from the beginning for the coach-built Boat Tail. A similar will be the situation for any future unique coach-built Rolls- Royce as it will be the encapsulation of the brand's retro ye t ric h me thodology tow ards extravagance vehicles. 16 I Inversk Magazine I July 2021

Boat Tail, in particular, has a pair of reversible watches — one for the husband and one for the wife — that may be worn or put within the Boat Tail's fascia in place of a traditional clock; appropriately luxurious centre pieces for an absolutely over-the- top automobile. There's also a compartment in the centre console for spare watch straps. The restoration of the moving frame in Rolls-Royce's new Coachbuilding workshop opens up new roads for the customers to deliver their fantasies before their eyes and experience a never seen or knew about extravagance in the realm of rich vehicles. "Boat Tail generates a feeling of occasion and then serves it," stated a Rolls -Royce representative. "It's not a mode of transportation; it's the destination." Is there such a thing as reductive opulence? It is made possible by Rolls-Royce. Clothing goes Digital: Consider a world in which your clothing is constructed of pixels rather than fabric. One in every three women finds an item of clothes to be "aged" after only one or two wears1. Fast fashion has popularized the notion that outstanding style is associated with new clothes. This thinking is reinforced by social media, with one in every six young people admitting they will not re-wear an outfit if it has been viewed online. Then there's digital fashion. Y ou might have all of the freshest and greatest fashion trends in your closet thanks to upcoming technology. That is, your virtual closet. Digital clothing, which is constructed from images rather than

company that specializes in enabling all sizes of legal firms and departments to have easier and convenient management systems. George started his company in 2011, however, the dream came way before that. He began when he and his university friends were employed at the same software company dealing with Saccos’ financial systems. This was unusual at the time since they had all majored in electronic and computer engineering. Nevertheless, their employer at the time pushed them out of their comfort zones for he believed that “engineers made the best coders.” Ultimately, George and his friends learned how to code, understood financial systems, record management among others to revamp the company’s desktop applications to web- based applications, etc.

fabric, is gaining popularity. Y ou may have a simple capsule wardrobe in real life. Meanwhile, your digital self might be expressive with hundreds of new apparel pieces on social media. It is not a new phenomenon. Gaming culture has already been influenced by digital fashion. On the surface, digital fashion may appear to be a thing of the future. Nonetheless, controlling our digital look is already an important element of everyone's life. We are deliberate about our online impressions, from building an Instagram style to putting your best foot forward on LinkedIn. (Hopefully!) For gamers, digital fashion takes the form of "skins," which are costumes and weaponry that are used to customize their in- game avatars. A regular skin in Fortnite costs between $2 and $20 USD4. The skins are purely cosmetic and have no effect on the player's skills, demonstrating a market for virtual self-expression. Some of the more uncommon and valuable skins, such as the Skull Trooper Skin, are resold online for thousands of dollars5. Experts believe that the market for video game "skins" will reach $50 billion USD by 2022. Louis Vuitton and League of Legends: An Unusual Partnership: Louis Vuitton, a luxury brand, created a set of skins for League of Legends, a popular multiplayer game, in 2019. Following the digital release, Louis Vuitton designed physical items to complement the skin line. To everyone's astonishment, the once -nerdy world of esports has been penetrated by high fashion.

Enfinite solutions idea was born when George and his comrades decided to merge their expertise and experience to land different gigs to make websites off work. Luckily for them, as George remarks, this never interfered with their jobs. The team eventually left the company at different intervals, with George leaving last after 3 years of employment. Thereafter, Enfinite Solutions upgraded from being a concept to a company when George left employment. He took the bold step to start this business since it was his passion from childhood. Our man attributes his mindset and grit to pursue the challenging life of an entrepreneur from his parents, who were both self-employed. “When leaving employment, our CEO had a ready product (property rental manage

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First of His Kind - African Size Chart By D&D Clothing D&D Clothing is making available a seemingly bespoke dress for everyone, irrespective of gender, gender type or shape. At D&D Clothing there is a perfect -fitted dress for you as you rock trendy while looking African.

BY IRINA STASIUK

he world of fashion is largely dominated with the invention of size charts by the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Europe at large. These size charts have for a long time been the basic standards of getting body-fitted dresses across the globe, including Africa. Often times, these standard body size measurements have been faulted by many Africans with contrast in what they ordered and what they got. This can be observed in some body measuring parts like waistline, ankle-length, and arm length. Nevertheless, UK, US, Australia, and Europe size charts still remain the trusted body size charts on the global fashion stage irrespective of their pitfalls. However, as Africans are poising themselves to change stereotypes in all walks of life, imprinting an indelible print in the world of fashion is not an exception, as D&D Clothing is relentlessly on the business quest of curating a distinct niche for itself as a top fashion

brand in Africa and across the Middle East. Interestingly, as the first African fashion house to have a paradigm shift, away from using African prints for Western outfits to creating its own prints of African heritage. This is of significance since the reputed fashion company also dubs as the first company to create African size charts. With an assiduous 18-month research and series of African body shape/type tests, D&D Clothing has been able to infer the best of sizes for all shades of body. This lustrous move makes the company the trailblazer in African sizes of wears. How fascinating that might sound, the great feat would avail Africans the itching opportunity of having adequate access to different African prints with the perfect size for their body shapes without the fear of size anomaly when ordering. Furthermore, these African size charts are for both men and women with a descriptive emphasis on body shapes. For men, there is an availability of size charts for shirts, pants & tops, and the jean fabrics. The basic sizes of shirt range between extra small (X S) and double extra-large (X X L). This measure averagely in the standards of chest width

and the waist. In the case of the pants & tops, the basic sizes also range between extra small (X S) and double extra-large (X X L). The measure is in average of the inseam, seat, waist, chest, and bottom. For jeans, the basic sizes run between extra small (X S) and extra-large (X L), which is between 26 and 38 inches. As w omen boast in their curvaceousness and svelte body beauty, D&D Clothing also created a lovely African size chart for them to always make fashion statements while upholding glitz and glamor. Size charts made for tops & dresses, bottoms & skirts, swimwear & lingerie, and for the plus-sized. The tops & dresses are of extra small (X S) and extra-large (X L) range, with specifics into hips, waist, and bust. Meanwhile, for bottoms & skirts, the basic sizes are between extra small (X S) and extra-large (X L), with specifics for both hips and waist. The plus-size for women is between a regular plus-size range and a triple plus-size range. The specifics for bust, waist, and hips are measured here. The basic sizes for swimwear & lingerie pitches between extra small (X S) and extra-large (X L) with its specific measurements in bust, waist, hips, and cup size. In sequel, D&D Clothing is making available a seemingly bespoke dress for everyone, irrespective of gender, gender type or shape. At D&D Clothing there is a perfect-fitted dress for you as you rock trendy while looking African.

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RISING STAR

The Story of a Fashion Entrepreneur – How a Kenyan Actuary Became a Fashion Designer! BY FATIHA SHABIR

ith an eye for f a s h io n a nd always dressed for the occas ion, Samuel Njoroge ne v e r onc e imagined that at 27 he would be a proud CEO of SN Tailored Suits and Co- founder of UrbanSuave Sartorial Limited. Through his hard work and determination he was able to venture into fashion entrepreneurship and grow a successful startup brand, rooted in his own passion, to create customized hand-made suits for clients. Born and raised in Western Kenya in Butere town in Kakamega County, Samuel schooled in Butere until 2007, after the post-election violence, when he and his parents relocated to Thika – where he finished his primary education. He attended Nakuru high school for his form one and two education then later transferred to Kakamega High School where he completed his education. He attended Maseno University where he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science. How did it all start?

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Samuel discovered his love for fashion in campus. Due to his interest in politics, he used to aid others in campaigning for positions in the University. However, most people mistook him as the one vying for the position due to his outfits. He was heralded as a fashion icon among his peers and was known for his classy and sharp dressing that mostly consisted of suits. The constant praise from his peers opened his eyes to a world where one’s dressing clearly determined how one perceives another. “In university I wanted to do something different, I wanted to stand out. This is something I’ve always aimed for in my life. In whatever situation I am in I wanted to stand out. This is because I realized people take you seriously dressed in formal wear instead of casual wear,” he told Inversk in an interview. Due to his financial condition in campus, he was not able to afford fancy and expensive suits. According to him, designerbrand suits were things he saw in magazines

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RISING STAR or the television. He had to make due with Mutumba blazers which he bought at a low price of Ksh.500 then looked for separate pants and shirts to complete the look. The final product ended up making him look “expensive” and “sharp” and this was when he realized he could make it a business venture since people always commended him on his style. He began reselling his blazers at a higher price of Ksh.1000 in order to make some profit and this opened up his door to entrepreneurship. In his third year, Samuel visited Nairobi during the holidays and he got introduced to a suit maker by a friend. The suit maker became his go-to guy for placing orders and delivering locally made suits from Nairobi to Maseno at an affordable price. Samuel reveals that it was not easy to convince his fellow students, especially those vying for student leadership positions to purchase the suits but eventually he succeeded. Through this small venture, he was able to make profits that supported him in Campus. After Campus he moved to Nairobi to try out his luck in the “city of dreams.” Through his small business in campus, he had saved enough capital to start his own outlet. “It was a risk I was willing to take. I did not know whether I would survive on my own but I had the confidence that things were going to work out. My brother helped me raise a bit of funds and I was able to open an office, get a workshop, purchase some machines and that was how I got started,” he revealed. With time, his brand was able to mature and grow since “I had the rare opportunity of working with my best friend, Brightstar Kasyoka as my partner, which made decision making easier and creates an amazing working experience.” Today, SN Tailored Suits has 9 workers; 7 tailors, 1 workshop manager and 1 employee who does the finishing on the suits. Despite having workers to do most of the work, Samuel is not afraid to get his hands into work and takes it upon himself to involve himself in the business. He personally takes measurements of his clients and finds out what design they prefer. He then proceeds to give the tailor the details and a custom made suit is created. At SN Tailored Suits, a suit ranges from 10,000 shillings and goes higher depending on the fabric and design chosen by a client, who is also required to make a 70% deposit before the suit is tailored for them.

wedding clients. Due to events being cancelled, there were many cancellations of orders and this hit his business. “Client base cut to zero and I had to come up with a quick way to keep his business afloat.” A quick brainstorm with his partner made him turn to production of masks in order to bring in revenue. The decision to produce masks, according to him, was “unexpected” and “impromptu,” but “it bore us fruits.” With time they were able to receive orders from security companies that wanted bulks of 30,00050,000 pieces of masks produced. He was also able to be sub-contracted a tender to produce 100,000 pieces for Safaricom. Production of masks proved to be a successful short- term venture that helped to provide revenue to keep his brand afloat as the hard shocks of the pandemic passed.

industry is that people prefer imported fabrics and suits as compared to those produced locally. He therefore hopes that people will increasingly appreciate locally made apparel and outfits more than imported ones. To him an increase in demand in locally produced outfits would push Kenya’s name forward to the world, bring more exposure to his brand and eventually bring him revenue. “The future is bright as there is still a lot of growing to do. I wish to reach a level where locally made suits are displayed in shops worldwide, a level where tailored suits from Kenya are stocked in shops. This is a goal I’m working on,” he remarks. The fashion industry is a profitable business that is booming and currently gaining traction all over the world. At the moment, Samuel is welcoming any willing investor(s) knocking on his business door to create a partnership that would help push Kenya’s fashion forth to the whole Samuel laments that one of the world. major challenges in the local fashion

Impact by COVID-19 Pandemic The presence of COVID ravaged businesses and SN Tailored Suits was no exception. Most of Samuel’s clients are event planners, organizers and even July 2021 I Inversk Magazine I 19 July 2021 I Inversk Magazine I 19

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COVER STORY

How Official Is Your Official Dressing? The first step of winning your clients’ confidence is how you present yourself to them. Before heading to those meetings always ensure that you dress to attract customers not to kill their confidence in you’. The ball is now in your coat, play it well. FROM INVERSK BLOG

ressing is one of the most important things in business. As a marketing Representative, the way you dress when meeting your clients and potential customers tells them more about you and your company, so you need to prove that you hail from a professional organization just by them looking at you. It is obvious that you have to be in an official dressing when meeting business leaders, but the question is, how official is your official dressing? The fact is this, before you start marketing your company, you need to start by marketing yourself first. Just imagine Absa Bank CEO Peter Jeremy Awori attending the bank's AGM on a short, a t- shirt and sneakers, how will the attendees react? Or President Uhuru Kenyatta giving a state of the nation address putting on a t-shirt, a pair of jeans and rubber shoes, will anybody take him seriously? Even the media houses in their respective news bulletins will focus more on the type of attire these two gentlemen were putting on at the expense of what they were delivering. The way you dress accounts for whom you are. When dressing up for interviews and business meetings, always prefer putting on suits if you have any in your wardrobe, your suit should be well ironed and of good quality, The color of your suit matters a lot because you are going for business meeting not an entertainment party. Black, grey, navy blue and brown are my most preferred colors. The reason for dark colors is that they are less shinny and don’t attract much attention, they are worn by almost everybody making you feel at home when it comes to dressing thus you don’t look like a lost sheep in the midst of goats, dark colors also represent the business mood. Wearing shouting colors like purple, orange e.t.c creates unnecessary attention towards you and this might irritate you affecting your concentration.

It’s also advisable you blend your suit with nice pair of shoes, well fitting shoes with low heels can allow you walk freely without any struggle, shoes that can allow you withstand any challenges that might occur in meeting halls i.e. slippery floors. Let your shoes compliment your suit or trouser to make you professional. When it comes to business meetings you have to be complete and belting up is a must. Belts helps a lot, they make you a presentable, official and fashionable, Imagine you are in a business meeting, in the middle of your presentation when your trouser accidentally falls off just because of a small mistake which could have been avoided by wearing a belt. Whom

will you blame? A belt or yourself? Wear good quality shirts, avoid too much fitting shirts which might make you feel uncomfortable, long sleeved shirts both plain and checked are the most preferred. Y ou can make yourself more professional by adding a tie on your shirt. The tie should not be to too slimy and should blend either with your shirt or trouser. The first step of winning your clients’ confidence is how you present yourself to them. Before heading to those meetings always ensure that you dress to attract customers not to kill their confidence in you’. The ball is now in your coat, play it well.

July 2021 I Inversk Magazine I 21

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BY IRINA STASIUK

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June - July 2021 I Inversk Magazine I 29

First Word Embracing a Hybrid Work Model Does Not Have to be Hard, Start by Involving your Team in the transition Process. BY KIMANI PATRICK

bout 16 months ago, the world of work came crumbling almost to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). In addition to being a threat to public health, the economic and social disruption, the virus threatened the long- term livelihoods and wellbeing of millions across the globe – work places were closed and work from home became an option and ultimately a norm. This necessitated swift action and among the progresses made, by late 2020, the world had vaccines which have already rolled out with millions already vaccinated. With vaccines increasingly rolling out, countries beginning to map out their roadmap out of lockdown and lifting restrictions, and companies beginning to bring workers back, there is one hard question that needs answering – how do we choose to return to work? As the workplace becomes safer from the pandemic, business leaders are conflicted with the decision on whether to recall everyone to the office and be a predominantly office-based firm, remove an office presence and remain a fully remote company or give their employees a chance to decide whether to work remotely or in the office as and when they wish – a hybrid model. Whichever the choice between the last two, organisations will have to decide which roles can work purely from remote locations as well as develop a framework and policies on

organisational communications and work delivery, supervision and appraisals. It is not as easy as it seems. When embracing a hybrid model, which is the focus of this article, leaders will have to decide which roles will go remote and which ones will remain in the traditional office or who will come to the office on which day. Roles such as sales, customer service, programming, PR and technical writing, accounting, data entry can easily be managed remotely while duties in such as those in medicine, firefighting, driving, sanitation and retail require to be on-location model. However, some employees find it harder to stay focused at home, feel more disconnected to the workplace and miss seeing their colleagues face- to- face and hence yearn to work from the office. This is because in-person connections, meetings, organic collaboration, and impromptu conversations before or after a meeting are important for productivity. If you consider the hybrid model for your business, the first thing I recommend is for you to involve your employees in the process. Hold a meeting with each team and get to hear from their desires and their use cases for in- office work and how they would like to be supported in a hybrid environment. During the meeting, evaluate together how the team will be kept connected to each other and to the company values and mission for remote members. Also, collaboratively decide when virtual meetings should be held as well as when to have supplant in- person events or town halls in order to keep existing traditions alive through transition. Second, give your managers the tools and structures to ensure equality between remote and in- person performance management. Third, you will have to decide

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which aspects of your company culture you want to nurture and protect, and which you can potentially let go. To do so, you will need to set up a team which will define the targets and come up with a roadmap which takes into account various case uses - including both office-based and remote workers. This is so because those working in the office are mistakenly considered to be more committed, even though those outside the office may be working just as long and delivering even better results. A framework should also be established to ensure remote workers get equal performance evaluations, salary raises and promotions with their colleagues in the office. In winding up, having a hybrid workday set up will require you to ensure those working remotely are effortlessly connected with those in the office as well as having a few in- person events where employees must attend. For new hires, looking for people who are savvy at working remotely is important; someone who has experience in working remotely in the part has an appetite for change, is a good communicator, is comfortable with technology and has other professional skills per job requirement is the best fit for a remote role.

Kimani N. Patrick CEO & Publisher kp@carlstic.com +254710254524

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Inversk Magazine is a publication of The Carlstic Group Limited. Views expressed in this publication do not in any way express the views of the publisher.