Top fashion brand CEO Carlo D’Amario of Vivienne Westwood visits Kenya
Carlo D’Amario, CEO of Vivienne Westwood, is in the country.
Vivienne Westwood is one of the world’s leading fashion brands based in the United Kingdom.
Carlo D’Amario will be one of the distinguished speakers at the upcoming ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative event hosted by the University of Nairobi Department of Art & Design.
The event is scheduled to take place on April 15.
The institution has also invited Simone Cipriano, head of the ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative, as a speaker.
The session will shed light on how the luxury fashion sector is undergoing a transformation towards a more sustainable and inclusive model. This also points out the need to balance business objectives with social and environmental responsibilities.
This shift is driven by the need to address unsustainable practices that have historically characterised global economic growth.
The industry is moving from prioritising exclusivity, timelessness and craftsmanship to embracing sustainability, ethical sourcing and transparency.
Vivienne Westwood is a renowned British fashion designer known for her avant-garde and punk-inspired designs.
Founded in the 1970s, the brand has become synonymous with bold and unconventional fashion statements.
Westwood’s designs often combine elements of historical costume, street culture and political activism, demonstrating her distinctive and rebellious approach to fashion.
Since 2010, Vivienne Westwood has worked with the International Trade Centre’s Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) and Artisan.Fashion to support numerous micro-producers from marginalised African communities.
In Kenya, Artisan.Fashion, which spearheads the creation of Made in Kenya collections, was established in 2009 and has since evolved into an independent social enterprise. It remains committed to strengthening Kenya’s local supply chain, particularly in the areas of jewellery, designer bags, homeware and accessories.
By combining artisanal creativity with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, the initiative enables brands to increase transparency, traceability and accountability throughout the production process.
Made-in-Kenya collections are an integral part of Westwood’s identity and are featured prominently in global campaigns and iconic catwalk shows.