Sexy, bold and worn by Kylie Jenner: how Farai London, created by a young black designer, has become the latest hot label
- Designer Mary-Ann Msengi’s Zimbabwean heritage and British upbringing can be seen in both the designs and the name of her label, Farai London
- The label went viral within a month of its launch, after Kylie Jenner was spotted in the label’s signature Gaia dress
Last year’s Black Lives Matter protests in the United States had been going on for a little more than a month when Mary-Ann Msengi launched her fashion label, Farai London, in July. The movement has shown how people of colour have to work twice as hard as their white counterparts, the 25-year-old says, and it only makes her determined to be known as a black designer that creates bold, adventurous clothes.
“Championing young black entrepreneurs can only be a good thing and hopefully long term will help level the playing field,” she says.
Msengi’s Zimbabwean heritage and British upbringing are reflected in her designs and in the brand’s name. Farai is the word for “happiness” in Shona, a language spoken in Zimbabwe, and was named after her grandmother, who taught her how to sew.
Based in East London, the independent label’s collections are reminiscent of sun-soaked beach holidays in the Caribbean, and feature resort-inspired dresses in bright, kaleidoscopic prints.