Brand Spotlight: Introducing with love from africa by kate quinn
Today, zulily has the unique opportunity to bring you the first look at a line of clothing that is very special to us both for its unique look and its purpose. The with love from africa by kate quinn line of organic clothing features beautiful prints inspired by the scenes of Nairobi and Kenya. But it’s not just the beautiful designs that get us so excited. In partnership with Bébé Ravi, the clothing is lovingly handcrafted by women in Nairobi and Kenya,areas with unemployment rates as high as 40%. We had a chance to speak with the women behind kate quinn organics, Kate Quinn herself, about the driving factors behind creating this line and her inspiration.
What led you to partner with Bébé Ravi, and what inspired you to develop your “with love from africa” line?
I met Siamanda Chenge, a former fashion model from Kenya, a few years ago at a show in NYC. She currently runs a Kenyan women’s knitting project that creates the most beautiful sweaters, Bebe Ravi, which in turn helps support an orphanage that provides homes to boys and girls, many of them orphaned by HIV. I was immediately inspired by her work, which is both meaningful and visually stunning. I had been waiting for an opportunity for us to create some good together, and we finally developed this line, which is a woven custom print cut and sew collection, classic lines with fun details. zulily fell in love with it, and the rest is history.
Where did you get your inspiration for the colors and patterns of the “with love from africa” line?
The prints are inspired by colors and textures etched in my memory from my last trip to Africa, sunsets, sky, grass fields after the monsoon. The silhouettes are inspired by heirloom vintage party dresses and jumpers, both whimsical and easy to wear.
Can you explain the charitable contribution aspect?
The first production of this collection will create 30-35 new jobs for women in these villages. With each purchase, moms can feel good about helping moms in Kenya to cloth, feed and care for their children. In addition, a percentage of the revenue from the clothing is put back into the community through the support of the Patrick Chege Memorial Orphanage.
Why did you choose to partner with zulily on this line?
I knew zulily would be the perfect fit due to their enormous heart and ability to get things done. We presented the idea to zulily and they fell in love with it. The rest is history. We know the zulily moms will love it just as much as we do.
See the full line of with love from africa by kate quinn today on zulily.
