Just days after Members of Parliament raised issue with Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo for wearing his trademark mandarin shirt to parliament, Kenyans are waiting for additional drama.
At the centre of all this is the Luo Jacket from British designers. Embakasi East Member of Parliament , known for his penchant for controversy, is expected to cause a stir in the August house.
How the Luo Jacket came to be
What gave you the idea to start a clothing line?
On my 21st birthday, my brother Allistar got me a jacket made from kikoy fabric to wear at my party.Being young, we thought it would be a hoot to play this game where, if anyone managed to beat me at downing a shot of alcohol, they’d get to wear the jacket.It became the prized item that night and our friends were asking where to get one. We had 40 jackets made, mostly for friends and family, and sold each at £80 (Sh10,400).
Giving back to community
Five per cent of the revenue from our sales goes towards implementing a long-term, life-altering project in the different communities of Kenya.We align the community we support with our product that season. Earlier last year, we launched the Gusii Collection and followed that with a project in Kisii. This year, our project will be targeted towards the Luo community.
Luo community
David explained that many professional cricket players in Kenya are from the Luo community, so we thought it was apt to take the programme to Kisumu. We’ll be raising £30,000 (Sh3.9 million) this year to make it possible.
Cost of the Luo Jacket
We’re stocked in 11 stores around the UK and offer free delivery within Europe, the US and Kenya.How much do your suits cost?We sell the suits at between £250 (Sh33,000) and £280 (Sh38,000), and the shirts from £85 (Sh11,000) to £89 (Sh11,600).KOY is undoubtedly a luxury brand aimed at customers who want something different for high-end events, like the Royal Ascot or a Polo festival. Think of it as a Kenyan Hugo Boss.And there’s demand for it. Recently, we shipped out 8,000 metres of kikoy to our production locations. We’re making women’s kikoy jackets and shirts in Italy, men’s shirts in Turkey, men’s blazers and chino shorts in Tunisia, and polos in China.