In a dusty alley in the heart of Kenya’s largest open-air market, fashion models strut down a makeshift runway in bold, upcycled outfits made from waste collected at dumpsites and market cast-offs – proof that even trash can dazzle.
Every year, thousands of tonnes of used clothes from Europe, the US, and beyond make their way to Kenya.
In 2023, Kenya overtook Nigeria to become Africa’s largest importer of second-hand clothing according to a study from the US-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Thousands of these bales land in Gikomba market near central Nairobi where tin-roofed stalls stretch across a five-acre labyrinth, one of the city’s major economic hubs.
On a sunny afternoon last week, a huge crowd gathered to watch models sashay and pivot, showcasing pieces from bales once discarded as unwearable or unsellable.
“What? They’ve upgraded our clothes,” one of the traders said with delight as he watched the show.
Gikomba Runway Edition brought together young, underground Kenyan designers and stylists for the first time, including 25-year-old “upcycling” specialist Morgan Azedy.
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