At a glance, Urembo wa Pwani is a fashion collection. But lean in closer—trace the silhouette of a four-tiered skirt, let your eyes follow the playful prints of madafu and the rare Taita White Eye bird—and it becomes something else entirely: a visual love letter to the Kenyan coast, penned by one of fashion’s most promising new voices, Nicole Tikolo.
This 23-year-old fashion student at Nottingham Trent University isn’t just making garments. She’s making a point—and a very stylish one at that.
Her collection, which has earned her a coveted finalist spot at the 2025 Fashanne Awards in the Womenswear Design category, is a vibrant testament to storytelling, heritage, and inclusivity.
And with the People’s Choice Award now within reach, Nicole is calling on Kenya, East Africa, and the global diaspora to rally behind Entry #62—because this isn’t just about winning a trophy. It’s about putting African curves, coastlines, and craftsmanship on the global runway.
Kenya to the World—One Print at a Time
Urembo wa Pwani—Swahili for The Beauty of the Coast—wasn’t born in the pages of a fashion sketchbook, but in the sun-soaked memories of Christmas vacations, mango-sticky afternoons, and Swahili-arched doorways of Diani and Lamu.
“I design for women who want to feel beautiful, confident, and seen,” Nicole says, and it’s no exaggeration. Her silhouettes are unapologetically curvy, her prints intentional, and her finishes razor-sharp—each stitch whispering, “I see you.”
Fashion, after all, has long had a sizing problem. According to Statista, the global plus-size women’s apparel market was valued at a staggering $193 billion in 2023, and it’s growing fast—yet many mainstream brands still treat size inclusivity like an afterthought. Not Nicole.
“Because I’m curvy too,” she says, simply, when asked why she chose to centre full-figured women in her debut. It’s personal. And fashion, when done right, always is.
Architectural Curves Meet Swahili Doors
Nicole’s inspirations run deep, often etched into the very architecture of her heritage. Take the four-tier skirt, whose structure echoes the intricate arabesques of Swahili doors—transformed, not replicated. Or the neckline of a sleeve piece, gently swooping like the archways of coastal palaces. It’s haute couture, sure, but with heart—and that’s a rare combo.
The fabrics she’s chosen echo her dual priorities: function and flair. Cotton satin for structure and digital printability. Crepe de chine for lightness and movement. The palette? Sunsets, sand, palms—everything you’d pack for a luxe weekend at Leopard Beach Resort.
Nicole is proof that elegance doesn’t require erasure. Rather than smooth over curves, she celebrates them, designing garments that move with the body, not against it. “Can I wear it? Can it be worn more than once? Would I buy it?” she asks herself with each design. Vogue calls this the holy trinity of practical couture.
A Designer Shaped by Prayer and Pattern-Making
While many fashion students speak of Paris or Milan, Nicole’s north star is the Holy Spirit. “May sound cliché,” she smiles, “but that’s how I get my ideas.” Creativity, she insists, is a collaboration between faith and fabric. And when she’s not praying, she’s patterning—often redoing the same skirt layers for weeks to perfect the balance between symbolism and wearability.
Her design language is unmistakably hers: gathered volume, clean finishes, princess seams that flatter without suffocating. She’s drawn to Nigerian designers like Andrea Iyamah, Banke Kuku, and Kim Dave, who also fuse culture with contemporary elegance. But Nicole’s edge lies in her local-to-global narrative—rooted in Taita traditions, shaped in the UK, and aimed squarely at the world.
Fashanne & the Power of the People
The Fashanne Awards—dubbed “the BAFTAs of student fashion” by British media—have long been a launchpad for fresh talent. With thousands of entries and a judging panel that’s seen it all, to be shortlisted is no small feat. Nicole’s moment, however, is about more than accolades.
“It’s the first time my work is being seen on this kind of international platform,” she says. “It’s both humbling and incredibly affirming.” And the People’s Choice Award? It would be a milestone not just for her—but for every African girl sketching in the margins of her notebook, wondering if her curves, culture, and creativity have a place in fashion.
Reimagining African Fashion—One Vote at a Time
In an industry still struggling to decolonise its runways, Nicole’s work offers a fresh blueprint. She’s not here to mimic European trends with Ankara splashed on top. She’s building a brand that’s proudly made in Kenya, globally resonant, and deeply rooted in identity. Her vision? To launch a size-inclusive label that fuses African prints with polished tailoring, telling stories of culture, travel, and womanhood.
African fashion, once relegated to the “ethnic” section of glossy magazines, is finally having its mainstream moment. According to the African Development Bank, the continent’s fashion industry could be worth over $15.5 billion by 2025. Nicole Tikolo isn’t just part of that future—she’s designing it.
If Her Dresses Could Talk…
They’d probably sing, frankly. Of sea breezes and sisterhood. Of sunset walks and sacred self-love. Of a woman who prayed, stitched, and reimagined what it means to be seen.
As the world votes, Nicole waits—not with crossed fingers, but open arms, ready to clothe it in colour, culture, and confidence. And whether or not she takes home the trophy on June 26th, she’s already won something far greater: the hearts of those who see themselves in her work.
