Long before she was a bona fide designer, Fisayo Longe was an influencer with an affinity for creating her own clothes. “When I would travel, I would go fabric shopping and design clothing to make with the fabric. I noticed that I got a lot of questions on my blog and socials for these pieces,” the designer explained. And so Kai Collective was born.
However, the brand is not simply about gorgeous dresses. “I wanted to create a womenswear brand that was more than clothing—a community,” Longe continued. “Women, especially where I come, from are not raised with enough self-assurance and confidence. I am passionate about women discovering and reclaiming our power and importance. I wanted to build a brand that enables that through what I know, fashion and beautiful clothing.”
With this empowering message at the core and a collection filled with vibrant pieces that are made to flatter all body shapes, Kai Collective has gained quite the following in the few short years since its 2016 launch. The brand has even captured the attention of Beyoncé, having appeared on the artist’s list of Black-owned businesses on her website.
“Kai has always had a big U.S. following because so have I, but the press right before the Beyoncé feature, following the response to BLM spotlight on Black-owned brands, and after the Beyoncé feature, has meant that support for the brand has grown massively,” Longe explained.
From the instantly recognisable patterned mesh Gaia dresses, which we’ve seen all over Instagram to the brand’s enviably cool co-ords, Kai Collective is definitely a brand that belongs on your radar. Keep scrolling to see how Fisayo Longe styles her own items and shop the outfits below.
