Kinabuti gets Down & Dirty in Bundu

Hellooo again guys and dolls, it’s the girl with the white balloon here, armed and ready to throw more beacons of fashionable hope your way. 

So... if you’ve been with me and listening from the very beginning, you may remember a post I did pretty early on about a fashion label with a conscience called ‘Kinabuti’, inspiringly thought up by a lady named Caterina Bortolussi. You can give it another read here if you have a little time and fancy learning about Kinabuti’s mission more in depth. 

In a nutshell, Kinabuti is all about using fashion as a vehicle to help people who could do with a hand up. And it’s not about giving money or aid, but rather providing communities with lifelong skills that they can transfer to their own lives, and create a sustainable living for themselves and their families; no longer needing to depend on others. 

Just a few weeks ago, the Kinabuti Fashion Initiative (KFI) - like the absolute troopers they are - got Down & Dirty in Bundu, Port Harcourt, at the crack of dawn to clean out gutters, alleys, and take out lots and lots of garbage; alongside the old and young, male and female, youths and community leaders: all in a bid to shape up the living conditions within the waterfront communities. 

Not only did the KFI leave Bundu spic & span and with a renewed feeling of a blossoming communal spirit; but they also finally put Bundu on the map for a weekly rubbish collection and so permanent bins will now be placed in the area – something that hasn’t managed to be achieved thus far, until the KFI stepped in and saved the day. Needless to say, this day was a moment in history for the local community. I don’t know about all of you guys out there, but here in the UK, the shit really hits the fan when the bin men don’t turn up for one week, never mind not turning up at all. I can’t even imagine it. There’d be anarchy enough to make last summer’s riots look like a peachy picnic.   

  

And this wasn’t where they stopped. Oh no. Kinabuti also organised a silk-screen training workshop which was targeted at training single mothers in this skilled area of art & design (it’s a lot of fun, let me tell you. Major flash-back to A Level textiles... Oh those were the days. If you haven’t ever done it, find someone to give you a quick beginners sesh NOW). All participants are taught how to print in silk-screen on many different surfaces using the local and easily accessible materials of their natural environment. The aim of this project is to develop these women in a vocational skill to earn a living and support and care for their loved ones in a sustainable manner. 

Great work you KFIers – positive proof that fashion is changing our world, in more ways than many people can imagine. 

All images can be found here.

Do you see it? 

Because I can. 

'Buti' Camp with Kinabuti

Caterina Bortolussi started her fashion label with a conscience ‘Kinabuti’ in 2010. Her vibrant designs are greatly inspired by the country of Nigeria, and Bortolussi made an inspiring decision to use fashion and her label as a catalyst for change in the deprived region.

"I thought, 'Why can't we use fashion as a vehicle to make a difference?' We should lead by example," says Bortolussi. "We should do something that will make a difference and inspire other people. That is what I want to do with Kinabuti: positive action."

Kinabuti’s ethos is to engage with the local Nigerian community and, through fashion, provide opportunities and training to the people who need it most.

One of these opportunities included casting 21 local girls to model her designs. None of these girls held any prior experience in modelling, but took part in training at ‘Buti Camp’ where they had the chance to learn and perfect many tricks of the trade including make up & hairstyling, runway walking and striking a fierce pose that Tyra Banks would be oh-so-proud of.

These lucky few became the chosen ‘Kinabuti girls’ and are fortunate enough to regularly work with the label in promoting and modelling the designs. Aside from industry experience, their role also provides the precious opportunity to network with so many different people, and to also work alongside other designers, and learn many relevant and valuable skills which they will keep for life, and will significantly brighten each of their futures. 

"It's not every day in life that we have the opportunity to do what we want to do... Being part of Kinabuti has showed me that I can do things. It made me believe in myself. Having that in my head ... has been the most exciting part of this experience so far." - Ini Godwin, one of the young models.

If I were you, I’d keep my eyes on Kinabuti, as Bortolussi has many more ambitious plans for Nigeria where her label is concerned  - "Our focus is on the community," she says; "What we want to do for next year is organize training for tailors in skills like draping, dress-making, making patterns and creating new fabrics.

The website for this amazing label is: http://www.kinabuti.com/

You can also follow the label on twitter, and like it on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinabuti/101107026629393 Go on, show your support!

And you can read the full story of this campaign here: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/27/world/africa/fashion-nigeria-kinabuti/index.html (all images are from here)

This is yet another great story of someone in the fashion industry who is taking a stand, and deciding to do things her way. Power to you sister! You’re an exemplary role model for all the young fashion kids out there at this moment, who aspire to be designers one day. You make me believe that change is possible; you just have to want to be a part of that change. If you don’t like how things are in the industry right now, then don’t just sit on your bum and except it. Change it. Fight for something. Be a part of shaping your world – because if you don’t, I guarantee that somebody else will.