Our Story
"Exclusivity without Boundaries."
Mariam Couture, founded in July 2019, is a leading brand in ethical fashion in Kenya that empowers both men and women through sustainable, high-quality designs. We are deeply committed to quality and equality, both in the products we create and in the livelihoods we support. We invest in, train, and educate our employees, ensuring they earn decent wages and thrive in a comfortable working environment powered by renewable energy. Our mission is to uplift conscious consumers with limited-edition designs while supporting the livelihoods of our local artisans.
Mariam Couture began as a clothing brand suited for the coastal market. Since then, we’ve expanded to incorporate cultural styles from Western and Eastern influences, creating modern designs that tell a story of culture and sustainability.
An integral part of our design philosophy is zero-waste production, crafting timeless, desirable garments that are made to last. We repurpose leftover materials and deadstock fabrics into patchwork, breathing new life into unused textiles and preventing waste. This sustainable approach allows us to regularly refresh our collections, offering fashion-conscious customers truly unique pieces.
Our collections are inspired by nature, culture, and the vibrant coastal shores, with designs reflecting the blues, sandy hues, and vivid greens of the landscape. Each garment is a statement of art and creativity, contributing to the growing movement of ethical fashion in Kenya.
Our vision, ‘Exclusivity without Boundaries,’ drives us to create unique, seasonal capsule collections that transcend temporary trends. We cater to people of all cultures, races, religions, genders, ages, and body types, offering luxury, high-quality fashion rooted in sustainability and ethical practices.
We use ethnically inspired fabrics like hand-block printed cotton, linen, and silk, sourced from Europe, India, and locally. Each piece is hand-cut and stitched with close attention to detail, ensuring premium quality.
Interested in exploring our collection? Shop our exclusive designs today and experience sustainable fashion made with care.
Designer
Hi! I’m Mariam Kembo, owner/founder of Mariam Couture, a fashion brand based in the Coastal region of Kenya, Mombasa. I started the brand at a later stage in my life when my interest in fashion and design picked as I realized I wanted more than just what was in the market. I wanted my clothes to fit well as per my body structure, I wanted them to be durable, timeless, and most importantly, I needed to be comfortable in them.
So, I thought to myself who else would do a better job at this if not ME! And so, I ventured into designing my own clothes people often asking where I got certain outfits from. Only then did it dawn on me that there was a consistent need for men and women to get clothing that is not mass produced so I looked at being able to serve every shape, every size of person and give them a unique experience with limited pieces giving them one-of-a-kind outfits that are ethnically inspired couture pieces of premium quality fabrics to create high-end fashion locally.
Whilst I enjoy new styles and looking at ‘what’s new’ in all the latest fashion magazines, I wanted our designs at Mariam Couture to be sophisticated and timeless pieces that carry you through season after season. I like to think we have our own interpretation of popular trends where the idea behind our collections is mindful, creating something that is both beautiful and functional for many years to come. I design with intention and close attention to detail. I’m all about being inspired by what’s around us and then creating designs with our own Mariam Couture twist, targeting the conscious consumer that wants to be remembered with clothes in limited, bold series of quality materials creating their own trend and style that are beautiful and functional whilst directly supporting and empowering our local tailors who make them.
My journey building Mariam Couture has been far from a fairy tale, but undoubtedly my biggest adventure yet.
From days spent purchasing fabrics, to months on training our employees from scratch, I’ve been solely focused on one goal: proving that we can locally create vibrant premium quality clothing with a positive impact for nature, clients, and employees to a sustainable future!
