Fashion Designers Behind the Political Look
There has always been this misconception that a suit is the only outfit that one can wear to portray a serious and a decent look, says Ms Lucy Rao, the managing director of Rialto Fashions and one of the designers who worked on the party uniforms. There was a bevy of colours to pick from: screaming orange, royal blue, blood shot red, snow white, and jungle green. Ms Rao says the idea of the screaming colours is to uniquely brand the party that each politician represents.
Colours emerged strongly in Kenya’s political terrain during the referendum in November 2005. Before that, only Kanu’s distinguishable red shirts were clearly known. Before the referendum, colour was not highly embraced, but after the referendum, colour for branding was highly used, said Ms Rao It is crystal clear that after the referendum, orange was taken up as an official branding colour for ODM and since then the colour has been highly embraced.
It saw other parties taking up the idea of using screaming colours for branding, says Mr Francis Obong’o also known as Fundi Frank, who designed some of the ODM outfits. Mr Obong’o says that the referendum was the point of change in the way politicians dress. According to Mr Obongo what might have also contributed into politicians embracing casual outfits was that such clothing brands more easily compared to a suit. Branding a casual outfit is easier compared to branding a suit, Mr Obong’o said.
The party colours are making it easier to identify political parties. Politicians have realised branding is not only in the name, it is also in the colour because that it is what people identify with easily, said Ms Sue Muraya, a top fashion designer in the country. Ms Muraya is among the creative designers behind the PNU’s flashy casual shirts. It was as easy as ABC, Ms Muraya said with a big smile. ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his wife, Ida, in party colours .