When she was only eight years old, Nadine Kanyana’s love for fashion was evident, given the way she’d make outfits for her dolls from old clothing. Her view then, and now, is that looking good boosts confidence, and with time, she started revamping some of her old attires into artistic designs. After graduating from high school in 2015, she sought means of improving her sewing skills, and opted for a fashion and design course in 2016 at Nyarutarama Business Incubation Centre. Kanyana explains that the three-month-long course gave her the sewing expertise she needed. Before she completed the course, her parents bought her a sewing machine. She would study in the morning and practice sewing in the afternoon. On YouTube, she came across a channel that focuses on transforming old clothes into something unique and creative, and this turned into her daily motivation. In 2019, Kanyana started her own fashion enterprise dubbed “House of Kanyana” based in Kicukiro. The firm specialises in ready-to-wear apparel for everyday events, such as casual, formal, and other occasions, with an African touch. She also deals in customised attire and has partnered with some companies to produce t-shirts, among other things. Designs made by Kanyana, including kimonos. / Courtesy While starting the company, Kanyana says that she didn’t have capital, but friends and family supported and offered her advance payments, even before making a single design. Eventually, she gained more clients through word of mouth. “My company has grown from one machine to five and I have six permanent employees, and three part-timers. When I look back to how I started and where I am, I would say it’s been hard work, belief in myself, and persistence,” the 24-year-old says. Kanyana says being a fashionista has come with opportunities, such as meeting influential people, creating connections with other designers and learning from them, but also, dressing personalities such as TV presenters, politicians, artistes, among others. Just like any business, it isn’t all peachy for her, for instance, accessing the raw materials she uses known as bologna print is hard in the local market, sometimes it is available in town and other times it is not, which puts her work at risk especially when she has to meet deadlines. She also adds that she lacks the specific skills of a creative designer because most art schools just teach the basics, and so she needs mentors and a broader understanding of thinking outside the box. Kanyana looks forward to creating a space for people with a similar interest in fashion, and offering internship opportunities to students at her fashion house. Nadine Kanyana while making a client’s order at her fashion house. / Courtesy She says the reason she opted for African designs is that she is a proud African, and anticipates making ready-to-wear Made-in-Rwanda garments more affordable, growing her brand, and exporting to Africa and beyond. She urges parents to support their children in pursuing their dreams because that’s how they will have the courage to persevere even when things get hard—and the joy that comes with doing what they love is everything. “Once these passions are supported, you’re assured of them providing employment opportunities to other people, just like I did,” she says. Kanyana is currently pursuing a course in Information Technology at Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA), Kigali. She says that her IT skills assist her in running her business, especially when it comes to creating a website and using it to gain more customers. You can contact her on 0790402865 or via Kanyanaworld on all social media platforms.
