“She is a self-taught designer who has taken part in some fashion courses at the local technical college Evelyn Hone and is furthering her training with a more established designer.
Before quitting her job at a corporate law firm in 2008, she used to design eye-catching clothes for herself and her sisters from the various fabrics her Zambian Women’s Rights Activist mother gave as gifts from her travels around Africa.
Kutowa is the root of Towani’s name and it means “to be so bright and beautiful you dazzle”. The label is a fusion of Africa and the West as evidenced by Towani’s current designs where she mixes Zambia’s distinct chitenge fabrics with classic Western cuts and fabrics.
These classic designs have been seen in different fashion shows like 2011’s Origin Africa Regional Africa Designers Show Case in Mauritius and Mickley Banda’s 2010 regional fashion show.”
Photocredit: Simon Deiner/SDR Photo
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
