President William Ruto is known for his sense of style, with his suits matching the rhythm of his daily activities.
Not known to many, the Head of State’s suits are designed by a 32-year-old fashion designer known as Ashok Sunny.
In a recent interview with the Weekly Review he revealed that his fashion style involves starting from scratch, with the client’ s measurements and posture drafted onto brown paper with a tape measure, a set square, chalk, and a very keen eye.
“Made to measure is what the majority of tailors in Kenya do using machines, and he is what they call bespoke. However, bespoke tailoring is the art of hand- making a garment from start to finish ” He stated.
Sunny acknowledged that takes nearly a month to complete an entire piece due to the fine detail that goes into designing the suits.
“Anyone who claims to be able to make a bespoke suit in a week is a swindler. A blazer will take you 50 hours to complete, the trouser 25 hours, plus over 5, 000 hand stitches for finishing and fitting. A quality garment should take at least three to four weeks to produce ” He noted
The fashion guru, who launched his company in 2013, had no idea it would grow into an empire in which he works with political leaders and celebrities.
He started his tailoring business in Umoja estate, Nairobi County, at the age of 22 with a Ksh20, 000 loan from his mother.
He has, however, worked with former Director of Criminal Intelligence George Kinoti, billionaire Group CEO of Chandaria Group Darshan Chandaria, and image consultant Mwenesi Musalia.
Depending on the fabric, the designs range in price from Ksh 60, 000 to Ksh 250, 000.
He however stated that if a client requests cashmere fabric, he would make Ksh 1 million in one setting.
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