Edith Fortunate
15 April 2008
interview
Nairobi — Inspired by Orie Rogo Manduli's dresing Katherine Omanyo tells Edith Fortunate of her success.
The group of tailors clustered in seats in the well-decorated office along Ngong Road seem at ease cutting and sewing clothes, but their eyes tell a different story: It's crunch time and they have to work faster than usual to deliver the clothes in time for an upcoming wedding.
"We usually get a theme for every wedding collection we do and try as much as possible to deliver client specifications in order to satisfy their needs," says Ms Katherine Omanyo, owner of Kipepeo Fashion Designs.
Although she says her kind of business requires a lot of networking, the woman who once had a stint at the famous apparel manufacturer Marks and Spencer and as personal assistant to Ms Orie Rogo Manduli, has been designing and selling clothes locally and abroad. She got her first break on the international market a few years ago during a visit to the UK. She says she deliberately wore a kitenge she had made on the occasion and carried a couple of others, "just in case."
Katherine says she learnt her taste for style while serving as Manduli's personal assistant. Photo: Maxwell Agwanda
"I was surprised at the reception. Almost everyone I met loved them and that is how I learnt there was market for such kind of clothes," she says.
She receives orders frequently and sells a piece for Sh15,000 in the international market. Locally, the same goes for Sh6,000, a price she deems fair although she still has to market hard in order to fend off competition.
Besides the clothing company, Katherine also runs a school in Nairobi - a startup she hopes to grow with the aim that it will help bring in some extra bucks and cushion her business against the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
"Kenyans are some of the most aggressive people. You can introduce a product here, but not expect to monopolise it because many others soon join you," she laughs, explaining that this usually brings a lot of competition.
She first got a taste of the fashion industry in the 1990s while working for Marks and Spencer. She made the best out of the job and acquired tailoring skills, which she now finds handy.
"I have to assist my staff in many occasions because we have deadlines to beat most of the time. I don't mind sitting in the office and helping them with some of the sewing because I see that as an opportunity for further training," says Katherine.
The Bachelor of Arts degree graduate says she learnt her taste for style while serving as Manduli's PA.
"I started out in my house with different materials while working for Manduli. I would occasionally choose clothing for her to wear," says Katherine. Adopting a model-like pose, the mother of two says the outcome was something neither of them expected because many people were impressed with the politician's dressing. In a way, this encouraged her to nurture her talent.
"I have learnt that some opportunities come only once in a lifetime. That is why people should exploit such chances and grab opportunities that come with them," she quips.
Katherine says she started the business in 2002, with a start up capital of Sh15,000, but adds that she succeeded because she believes that in business, it is one's determination, skill and work that speak loudest.
"At first I thought this could be one of the hardest business to do, but with time I realised how exciting it was. I especially liked the fact that one has to almost create something new everyday in order to prosper," she says.
Just a few months into the business, Katherine paid for an office along Ngong Road and hired two tailors. Since then, she has been working hard to expand her customer base and working well at it.
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