It’s no secret that I believe fashion is more fun when it’s ethically produced. Therefore, where I heard about the collaboration between ASOS.com, the UK’s largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer and Soko, a fashion workshop in Africa, I was ecstatic! Joanna Maiden, the mastermind behind Soko, created the store in 2009 in order to further support the sustainable fashion movement. She aims to produce beautiful high-quality garments made from fabrics sourced straight from Kenya, while also supporting the community through employment and local projects.
The collection, ASOS Africa, first appeared on the e-retailer in 2010 featuring vibrant prints and Swahili inscriptions. Within 24 hours of their debut, every item was sold out! Luckily for us, ASOS Africa has continued to be successful through the seasons and the A/W ’12 collection is still available online. Even out first lady is a huge fan of ASOS Africa, seen in pieces from each season of the collection. Most recently, she was spotted in the November issue of O magazine wearing a belted ASOS Africa mixed-printed pencil skirt paired with a bright turquoise short sleeve shirt and a cropped cardigan.