Kimiko is a fashion-focused business that offers custom fashion and design services. PHOTO: Supplied/Kim Mockey
A new fashion-focused business is aimed at cultivating a community of unapologetically authentic women through ethical and sustainable fashion.
This was according to Stellenbosch local and founder of Kimiko, Kim Mockey, who also manages the business.
Kimiko launched online on 2 October and offers custom fashion and design services, as well as ready-to-wear fashion pieces, said Mockey.
Mockey, who completed a diploma in fashion design at the Design Academy of Fashion — situated in Woodstock, Cape Town — in 2016, grew up in Stellenbosch.
“[Stellenbosch is] a town that remained stagnant in terms of diversity and representation. With Kimiko, I hope to create a space where women feel represented,” said Mockey.
According to Mockey, Kimiko was launched as a means to enhance representation.
“As a little girl, I didn’t see businesses represent people that looked like me, and now as a 24-year-old, I’m still not seeing it,” Mockey said.
It’s time to demand that women and people of colour’s stories be told, she said.
Taking a stand
Conscious Chatter is an inclusive audio space that hopes to open doors to conversations about clothing, layers of stories, meaning and the potential impact of it.
Supporting businesses that incorporate sustainability is crucial, especially small businesses like Kimiko, said Kestrel Jenkins, the host of Conscious Chatter, an international podcast aimed to bridge the gap between fashion and sustainability. Jenkins is also an activist for sustainable living.
“At this point in time, and always, supporting smaller brands working to shift the fashion industry toward a more equitable direction is a small — yet influential act — that can have ripple effects,” said Jenkins.
Nwabisa August, who has been a supporter of Mockey’s designing career before the launch of Kimiko, believes that her business has the potential to make strides in the South African fashion industry.
“Kimiko believes in authenticity and individuality, which I believe are markers of an amazing and relevant business,” said August.
Kimiko launched online on 2 October and has ready-to-wear pieces available for purchase online. PHOTO: Supplied/Kim Mockey
Walking a new road
The Raymond Ackerman Academy (RAA), Graduate School of Business at University of Cape Town (UCT), played a fundamental supporting role in Mockey’s decision to establish her business, she said. She completed a diploma in entrepreneurship at the institution in 2019.
“The team at the [RAA] works tirelessly towards uplifting and empowering people from disadvantaged backgrounds,” said Mockey.
According to Nareeman Africa, the administrator of the RAA, the RAA can establish a bigger impact through helping students.
“We like to think that if we help and support one student out of a community, then they would be able to pass on those skills to siblings and the community,” said Africa.