Silvia Njoki: Kenyan Fashion Designer Tailoring Outfits for Her and Her Little Daughter

When I first saw the little Ankara dress Silvia Njoki had designed for her daughter, I was totally blown away.  Her daughter looked so adorable and so cute! And Silvia herself had a matching outfit (headgear) on too. Both mom and daughter looked so beautiful I envied them.

I definitely wanted to find out a little more about her, and that specific outfit, and if she tailors all her daughters’ clothes. I also basically wanted to know her a little bit more.

Silvia Njoki is a young mom, a fashion stylist, designer and writer. She loves to dress both she and her little princess in stylish yet affordable outfits. Silvia studied fashion styling at Central St. Martins in London, and Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano in Milan. Here’s a little more of the interview I had with her.

MT: Tell me a little about yourself

SN: My name is Silvia Njoki, a 25 year old mom. My daughter Nielsine Muthoni is 6 months old. I am a freelance fashion stylist by profession and a fashion writer with the Standard newspaper, and I am the creative director for my blog silvianjoki.com

MT: Tell me more about Style by Silvia

SN: ‘Style by Silvia’  has been my company name for my fashion styling activities. When I started to blog, I decided to use that name as well.

While I was pregnant, I got inspired to make little things for my daughter, crotcheted, knitted or sewed. This is because some of the items I needed were either too expensive or stuff I had only seen online which I couldn’t find locally. I am very handy and crafty, I like to make things. So this was fun. Eventually I decided to share my work online hoping to inspire other craft loving people.

MT: Where do you get your inspiration from (for Style by Silvia)?

SN: I get inspired by all sorts of things; in fact on my blog I post about things that inspire my projects. From runway clothes, to what my friends are wearing, a specific trend or color, fabrics which I discover in shops.  I pretty much try to get inspiration from most things around me.

MT: Where do you see yourself taking Style by Silvia?

SN: I like to get fulfillment from what I do! It began as a fun experience and sharing my work with others. When I started out, I didn’t envision that people would be ordering my pieces! It is quite humbling, especially since it has happened so fast! I recently had to hire a tailor to help me manage the orders. So I am taking every blessing and challenge as it comes.

MT: Tell me about your motherhood journey

SN: I try to be present in Nielsine’s life as much as I can, especially at this age. They grow so fast! It’s amazing just looking at the changes from pictures and videos of her 2 months ago. All I can say is that I am still learning, So far so good. I amaze myself! Most things that first time moms fear like the first bath or first vaccinations, I was actually quite excited about and handled them well, I am not perfect, but being a mother means learning about strengths you didn’t know you had and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed. Don’t we all wish they came with an instruction manual? But God never gives us more than we can handle.

MT: What do you love most about your daughter?

SN: How can I choose just one thing? She is perfect to me in every way… But I do love her smiles and the progress she is making in a variety of skills;  and the fact that she hardly ever cries – and largely is following my own sleep pattern.

MT: How has being a mum changed you?

SN: It is a unique level of responsibility that requires you to wear more than one hat and give your total commitment. A few seconds after she was born, she was placed in my arms and I realized that I had never been in love like this before. Before I got pregnant, I never thought I’d have time for a baby. Now I try to always be there for her and its going well. My priorities have changed, and I have to be careful about how I spend my money and my time. I find that most of my friends now are also moms. I also have to lead a life that my daughter would be proud of. I want to be her number one role model. Of course as a woman, you need to accept some physical changes following your pregnancy, but this is nothing compared with the blessings of being a mum.

You can find Silvia on Facebook on her page Style by Silvia.

Thank you Silvia, and kudos to you on your creativity. And your daughter is so pretty!

Comments

comments