Katungulu Mwendwa

Katungulu Mwendwa is the founder and creative director of Katush by Katungulu Mwendwa. Founded in 2014, the brand relies on local production, regional artisans and natural fibres, including cotton made in Africa produced by smallholder farmers. She describes it as “a curious sceptic’s review of the perceptions of Kenyan, African and female identity,” explaining that her aim is to “subvert preconceived notions on African design.”  Mwendwa’s work has been featured in international editions of Vogue and exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Brooklyn Museum in New York. By 2025, Katush was stocked by boutiques in Kenya, the US and Japan. 

Mwendwa’s decision to pursue a creative career was inspired by her grandmother’s shop, which sold curios handcrafted by Akamba artisans. Her previous collections for Katush have taken cues from traditional Kamba folklore in Kenya, the Dinka corsetry practices of South Sudan and the elaborate cultural garb of the Wodaabe subculture of North Africa’s Fulani people. She has also participated in the talent scouting arm of Lagos Fashion Week. Mwendwa earned a bachelor’s in fashion design at the University for the Creative Arts in England and a master’s in collection development at Polimoda in Italy.