Chichia: Merging African textiles with Western cuts

FASHION : Snapshot

inCOLOR: Chichia is quite a catchy and unique name for a brand! What does it mean and where did the inspiration for the name come from?
Christine: Chichia is my childhood nickname. I was named after my grandmother Christina (somehow as I got older my name morphed into Christine; no one can tell me how that happened) and when I was about a year old, a cousin of mine around the same age couldn’t pronounce Christina and started to call me Chichia. It caught on with my whole family and stuck. To this day my entire family and close friends call me Chichia. My cousin is very proud and claims he knew it was going to be a big name when he “intentionally” made it up – though he was two at the time!

inCOLOR: Many young designers take the route of working for fashion houses and the like, what made you decide to launch your own label?
Christine: I think it makes sense to gain experience working for an established brand/label/company before going it alone just to get an idea of what the fashion industry is like. Trust me, my perception of the fashion business was totally different when I first came out of university and only saw the reality once I started working. I have previously worked for designers and suppliers of high street brands, but eventually I simply wanted to design what I liked with no restrictions, so once I got the confidence I decided to start Chichia.

inColor: Describe your designs in your own words?
Christine: Succulent ... mouth watering ... colorful!

inCOLOR: You have showcased at Swahili Fashion Week in 2009, been featured in a range of magazines including Marie Claire UK and were featured in tthe Untold fashion show during London Fashion Week. To date which professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Christine: I can’t really pinpoint one accomplishment that I am most proud of so far. Definitely a combination of all the achievements you have mentioned down to getting lovely thank you message from a satisfied customer who is in love with their new dress ... It’s all part of a journey, hopefully I’m on the right track, but I still feel I have a long way to go.

inCOLOR: Which contemporary designers do you admire?
Christine: I admire so many, but the main one that comes to mind is the late great Alexander Mcqueen. He was a true creative genius and has left a huge cavity in the world of contemporary fashion design.
inColor: Your designs fuse African-inspired textiles with Western classic cuts. How have your designs been received in Africa, especially Tanzania where you are originally from?

Christine: I have had an amazingly positive response from Africa and especially Tanzania. I receive lots of positive messages all the time from Tanzanians and Africans in general. It feels great to know that I am introducing the khanga (traditional Tanzanian/East African cloth which I feature in all of my collections) to places and people that have never been exposed to it.

inCOLOR: Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
Christine: I draw inspiration from everything and anything that’s around me. The fabric I use plays a big part and of course color inspires me but living in London helps a great deal as it’s one of, if not the trendiest city on earth.

inCOLOR:You partook in Untold fashion week during this season’s fashion week. How was the experience and how has Untold helped as a platform for your designs?
Christine: It was great to be part of a well-organized event to gain some more exposure for Chichia and also really good to be amongst other talented up-and-coming designers.
inCOLOR: What are your future plans for your label?
Christine: I would love to eventually have a chain of stores/concessions in department stores and for Chichia to become a globally recognized brand.

inCOLOR: What do you love the most about designing?
Christine: The fact that I hardly have to utter the phrase “I have nothing to wear” [laughs]. Also, just knowing that I can be a part of elevating someone’s mood when they put on one of my garments – that’s a nice feeling!

inCOLOR:What type of woman embodies the Chichia brand?
Christine: She is daring, vivacious, outgoing, confident and enjoys experimenting with fashion.
inCOLOR: You have four collections under your belt so far including the recent “Made in Dar” collection. Which is your favorite so far?
Christine: Oh no, it’s like asking a parent which is their favorite offspring! I usually just have favorite pieces from each range, but if I had to choose it would be the “Mwangaza” collection (spring summer 2009), which I named after my mother. Mwangaza also means ‘Ray of light’ or sunshine in Swahili.

For more information, please visit CHICHIA.

Photographer: Lara Jade Photography and Make up artist: Terhi Roviomaa.

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