Lalesso co-creators Olivia Kennaway and Alice Heusser were inspired by a holiday to Olivia’s home country of Kenya. The pair travelled to the remote Island of Lamu on the north coast where the traditional ‘uniform’ of the local women, the ‘khanga’ or ‘lesso’, with its intrinsic patterns and vibrant colours, ignited the imagination of Olivia and Alice. They launched Lalesso in Cape Town in 2005.
Image credit: Lalesso.com
Having graduated with national diplomas in Fashion Design, they decided to launch in the UK and Europe at the start of 2007. A contract with high street retail giant Topshop and other great leads, has seen Lalesso step up to it's ideals of African heritage with modern appeal.
Lalesso has shown several times at Pret-a-Porter in Paris, Magic in Las Vegas, Sanlam Fashion Week and opened Cape Town Fashion Week in 2008 and 2009. Lalesso participated in the inaugural Africa Fashion Week in June 2009 and London Pure in 2009 and 2010. They showed at London Fashion Week’s Esthestica in September 2009 and were the winners of the 2009 ‘Fashion Innovation Award’ from the British Ethical Fashion Forum.
This year they were Awarded the ‘Woman of The Year’ award by Glamour Magazine and are set to launch their first collection for Woolworths due to launch in October 2010.
Now stocked in boutiques and stores worldwide, regularly featuring in fashion magazines globally and seen adorned by style icons Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and singer Estelle, Lalesso continues to spread its African roots throughout the fashion world.
Come to the Fashion Affair Designer Rail Sale on Saturday, 31 July to see their stunning designs.
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