Kenyan fashion house KikoRomeo will present its runway collection on the official calendar of Moscow Fashion Week on October 1, 2026. Organisers describe the booking as a milestone for Kenya’s creative economy.
The show will take place at the Central Exhibition Hall “Manege” in Moscow. Nairobi Fashion Week facilitated the placement. Organisers say it gives Kenyan designers access to new international buyers, puts Kenyan textile skills in front of a global audience and strengthens the country’s position in the fashion industry.
A Kenyan house with 30 years on the runway
Ann McCreath founded KikoRomeo in Nairobi in 1996. The name means “Adam’s Apple” in Kiswahili. The house is now in its 31st year and is regarded as a pioneer of modern Kenyan fashion. It builds its work on the idea that fashion can foster understanding between cultures and support fair trade. Its designers turn heritage craft into structured, sculpted garments. It has also been credited with bringing Maasai beadwork into contemporary design through direct work with Maasai artisans.
The label has shown abroad before, including at Africa Fashion Week in New York, and has taken collections to Italy, Cameroon, South Africa and the Seychelles.
Ann McCreath leads the house. Iona McCreath directs special projects. The Moscow collection pairs Kenyan craftsmanship with contemporary tailoring. It uses rainfed organic cotton, handloom textiles, art fabrics, zero waste garment construction and the label’s hand carved coconut shell buttons.
Nairobi Fashion Week builds the export route
Nairobi Fashion Week has pushed a sustainability agenda since its early editions. Khusoko reported in January 2025 that its seventh edition ran from January 29 to February 1 at the Sarit Centre under the theme of regenerative fashion. Creative Director Brian Kihindas said then that the event aims to promote organic fabrics and sustainable fashion rooted in regional culture. The Moscow booking extends that approach from a Nairobi venue to a foreign market.
Moscow’s autumn calendar draws more than 200 brands
KikoRomeo is one of several international names on Moscow Fashion Week’s autumn calendar, which runs from September 26 to October 1, 2026. More than 200 brands are taking part.
Other international participants include Miguel Llopis of Spain, Limak by Kamil of Sri Lanka, Nohad Al Samarrie with The Black Crown Label of the UK, and designers from China, Nicaragua, Türkiye and the United States. Russian labels on the schedule include Gapanovich, IgorGulyaev and Li Lab.
The week overlaps with the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, a business forum for fast growing economies that runs from September 28 to 30. Its agenda covers market entry, investment, sustainable production and artificial intelligence in the industry.
What the organisers said
“Securing a place on the official calendar of Moscow Fashion Week is an unprecedented opportunity for Kenya’s fashion industry,” said Brian James Kihindas, Creative Director of Nairobi Fashion Week. “This platform, realized through our collaboration with Moscow Fashion Week, directly fulfills our vision: to unlock international markets, champion our creative economy, and position Kenya’s extraordinary design talent where it belongs, on the world stage.”
Ann McCreath said the booking supports the house’s founding purpose.
“Taking KikoRomeo to the official calendar of Moscow Fashion Week is an extraordinary opportunity to present our vision on an important global stage,” she said.
“Our core purpose has always been to use art and fashion as a universal language to bring people together and build understanding across cultures. We are thrilled to bring our heritage, material intelligence, and story-driven craft to an expanding international audience.”
Iona McCreath’s fellowship adds to the house’s profile
The Moscow show follows other recent recognition. Iona McCreath was selected earlier this month for Yale University’s Cultural Heritage Fellowship, one of 12 global fellows working to preserve fashion and textile heritage.
For more coverage of designers and labels across the region, see Khusoko’s Fashion & Style section.
