Recently I had the pleasure of meeting the very lovely Christine Mhando who is the talent behind the brand Chichia. Chichia ia a ready to
wear range, which is an amalgamation of both continents and cultures from which the
designer was born and raised. Her brand also has caught the attention of publications such Vogue Italia, Marie Claire, Grazia and Cosmopolitan. Even before finishing this interview I had already ordered my first dress of the summer from her!!!
What do you do and why
do you love your job?
I am the designer for
contemporary womenswear brand Chichia I love what I do as it gives me the
freedom to explore new ideas and bring them to life. Nothing feels as amazing
as seeing a satisfied client get excited about wearing one of my creations.
How would you sum up your brand identity in 3 words?
Colourful. Cool. Timeless
What's your biggest
influence when it comes to designing? Is this a reflection of yourself or a
link to your background?
Both. The brand is
inspired by the fusion of two cultures- my Tanzanian heritage and my London
upbringing. Add a splash of quirky
design and you have Chichia. We use the local East African printed fabric
‘Khanga’ in most of our collections. I am also heavily influenced by colour,
travel, conversation, movies, patterns, architecture.. I am constantly observing
everyday nothings!
How would you describe
your personal style?
Eclectic, quirky, at
times ornamental, usually colourful I’m just as comfortable in a pair of jeans
and trainers as I am in a ladylike dress and heels.
What's the hardest
thing about being a fashion designer today?
Being based in London
is challenging as you’re competing with thousands of other designers/labels so
it’s about offering a fresh point of view in order to maintain a strong brand
image and therefore set ourselves apart from others. The collections are also
not heavily influenced by what is currently on trend. My main focus has always
been on making well designed clothes that are timeless and transcend seasons.
Where do you shop and where do you love to eat in London?
I barely go out shopping anymore as I hate crowds. When I do venture out I like vintage stores for one off finds. I tend to shop online more these days and sites like Asos and net-a-porter are handy as they host many brands in one place. I also love a good sample sale as they're a great way of getting bargains from my fave brands.
Five items you can't
live without?
Glasses/ Contacts
Sewing machine
Sephora cream lip
stain in ‘Always Red’
Passport
Ribena
www.chichia.bigcartel.com
STALK THE STALKER ON
I'm not a big fan of dresses over pants, but this look is really cool
ReplyDeletexoxoxo
Cool colors!!
ReplyDeleteYou look great! Red lip stick really suits you :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment.
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Http://katrinelionett.blogspot.com/
you look so lovely!
ReplyDeletefrom helen at thelovecatsinc.com
ps. you can win £250+ worth of beauty products on my blog right now, click here!
wow this outfit is beautiful, i love the colours! great styling!
ReplyDeletex
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SHOPSTYLECONQUER.COM
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nice style.
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