London-based designer Katie Robertson-Macleod is on a mission. What is this mission you may ask? It is to empower people in Kenya, preserve traditional artisan skills, and offer long-term incomes for those in low-employment and impoverished communities.
The more important question is how? Macleod’s answer is to establish a brand called Doa and employ Kenyan artisan to ethically create jewellery and clothing that is eco-friendly.
Sesiny Samuel of Setting Mind interviews Macleod to learn more.
Samuel: How did Doa start out and what was the inspiration behind the brand?
Macleod: Well, the idea for Doa started out in Kenya, where most of my family are based. Kenya has always been where I feel most creative, and every time I’m there I feel the richness of sensory experiences is something I want to explore.
My inspiration behind the brand came from the fact that I was always trying to find a way of integrating design with socio-economics that made sense to me, I wanted Doa to become a source of empowerment and creativity for the people wearing and making it.
You deeply value working with Kenyan artisans. How did this relationship start?
I really do! Sometimes managing teams working in Kenya, from here in London can have its challenges but the love and story behind the pieces are so integral to Doa. There are so many incredible artisans in Kenya and everyone is so open and sharing so it’s very easy to meet creative people you can work with, it’s just about finding the right people with whom you click and can build relationships with.
What does your creative process look like?
Designing each collection usually starts with a concept I’ve been taken by, and sourcing new materials like recycled glass or vintage silks from the local market ~ Mitumba.
I like to work in a very hands-on way with the materials we use; I like to play with positioning fabrics on myself or a mannequin and getting creative from there. It’s the same with the metals for jewellery, I like to be with the artisans in the formative stages to let the pieces evolve in my hands.
Apart from being creatively inspired by painter Wassily Kandinsky and architect Luis Barragan as mentioned on your brand website, what else do you draw from?
I’m sure subconsciously there is a lot that does! But consciously, I tend to draw inspiration from forms in art and architecture.
Or with my recent collection I have been inspired by artifacts found in the Stone Age discovery at ‘Enkapune Ya Muto’ in Kenya, and by techniques and wraps seen in Masaai tribal wear.
Has the COVID-19 lockdown affected how you navigate Doa?
The current situation means that everything just takes that bit longer!
But it’s also been very positive as it’s given me time to reflect on the brand itself and what needs to be improved upon. I have taken time to elevate the jewellery, as well as better supporting our artisans and building my knowledge of how to build up Doa as a whole- which I love.
Where do you see Doa in five years?
I’ve got so many exciting things in the pipeline for Doa.
I’m passionate about sourcing our materials locally and supporting the regrowth of the Kenyan textile industry as we start to produce more clothing, including the introduction of sericulture. I’m also very keen to introduce locally sourced ASGM (artisanal and small-scale gold mining) gilded pieces and semi-precious stones into our pieces while keeping them at an affordable price point.
I would love to buy a plot of land in Kenya to build a studio where all the artisans can work together in a beautiful space close to their family homes and continue researching and being involved in the discovery of both the old artisanal and newly discovered techniques being introduced.
To learn more about Doa, visit their website.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
All images in this article are courtesy of Doa.
