There’s no place like home
From France, Belgium, Kinshasa, Portugal and the UK – Ikono Kayiba Zulu has a wealth of life experience to draw upon, but her true source of inspiration goes right back to her origins.
Ikono began her professional journey in law, but it was her mother and great-aunt who passed on her passion for garment creation. Both “master-seamstresses”, it seems it was in her genes to follow their path.
Having worked in the steady 9 to 5 of finance, Ikono found herself relocating again, this time from Portugal to the UK. With a young child in tow and a supportive husband backing her, it was time for something different.
“I was expected to find a job in the same field, but my son was still young, and the change of country and language was challenging for him. As a result, I decided to pursue something other than a nine-to-five job. My husband encouraged me to refine my gift and reconnect with my passion by enrolling in a course at the British Academy of Fashion Design.”
And so, in 2019, IKONO & REIS LTD was formed. Ikono knew she needed some more formal training and was keen to enhance her pattern making skills. But with the duties and responsibilities of raising a family, she needed flexibility.
“The program offered by the academy appealed to me because of its flexible schedule, which allowed me to balance caring for my family with studying independently.”
Now deep into her studies, Ikono is learning more than she initially expected. While it is true that a flair for fashion and a head for creative thinking are important aspects of being a fashion designer, there are also other potentially surprising areas that need to be considered. Ikono had at one stage felt she could do it without any formal studying but today, her perspective has shifted.
“I used to believe that you could become a designer without formal study, and that creativity alone was enough to make a collection viable. However, the more I learn, the more I understand that both are essential: creativity as well as study and research. Since enrolling at BAFD, I have gained a great deal of knowledge.”
The courage to try
And with that additional knowledge are personal challenges that are often encountered. Approaching a new field of study is naturally going to involve unchartered territory. This is in essence why we enrol in a new learning experience, to charter that territory. Ikono has found some interesting insights into her own experience as a student of the Academy of Fashion Design.
“I believe that working on aspects beyond creativity has truly challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I have come to realise that an idea must be developed not only through sketching, but also through a strong and well-thought-out strategy. What I find most interesting is the combination of fabric manipulation and the process of managing and building a brand strategy.”
Clearly not a person to wait around, Ikono has already presented a capsule collection at Cultural Style Week Expo in London in 2024. It began when she was approached by the CEO of Cultural Style week Candy-Ellie Graham, who had spotted her brand selling jumpers and ready to wear pieces online. Ikono was also no stranger to presenting a catwalk collection having done so in Paris previously. But as she evolved as a designer, so too did her work. Each show is different and will inevitably reflect the time of the designer's life and therefore, their collections. Every day is a learning day and Ikono’s emotional maturity is clear from her personal observations.
“Although the theme was still in development, I had a strong intention to work extensively with Kuba patterns printed on wax fabrics, alongside a clear vision of colours and materials. This early collection became an important step in my creative journey, laying the foundation for the work I later presented in Walthamstow. The key takeaway from this experience is that learning happens through practice and exploration. Progress is built through experimentation, refinement, and experience. Rather than rushing the process, it is essential to develop each piece with care, intention, and attention to detail.”
Keeping up the pace
And so on to her show in Walthamstow. At Couture Mélange, again organised by Cultural Style Week, Ikono presented 10 outfits. This was a new challenge as she did not have access to fittings or the models until the day of the show. This meant she needed to think on her feet. With hem lengths, drapes and movement all secured on a mannequin, Ikono had to quickly improvise some backstage alterations for her show. But this is the nature of the fast-paced beast of fashion.
“Backstage was intense but exciting: each designer had to conduct fittings with the assigned models for the first time. If a look did not suit a model, we had to request a change. There were approximately 20 models, all of whom had to change quickly between designers’ collections.”
But it was also a perfect opportunity for Ikono to experience how the activity and performative aspect of a fashion show requires numerous soft skills that often need to be experienced to be understood. These include an ability to remain calm under pressure, to problem solve when things go wrong and to remain organised throughout. It also needs a level of grace. There are many moving parts to a fashion show, and a lot of people need to pull together. But when it works out well it is a wonderful, shared experience.
“Relying on a mannequin to create my toiles worked to some extent, but at the finishing stage I realised how essential it was to work with a real model. This allowed me to refine hems, assess how the garments fell, and check for any imperfections. For this reason, I asked my neighbour to assist with pre-fitting sessions.”
And from this experience also came some unique collaboration opportunities.
“I was also approached on Instagram by someone proposing a collaboration on hats that would complement my clothing and overall aesthetic perfectly. This experience taught me that a garment can be reworked as many times as necessary; if it does not fall correctly, it is not complete. It is essential to review, adjust, and refine your work continuously. In the end, seeing the finished pieces on the catwalk was incredibly rewarding, and it made all the time and effort worthwhile.”
Fashion as a community
Ikono has her eye firmly on the future with plans to run her own couture atelier both in the UK and at home in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is on a mission to bring people together to learn about textiles and community engagement.
“Couture or Fashion was not seen as a serious subject to study in Africa. I would like to encourage through my journey many young or older designers to persevere if it is their passion. In 2024 I started a sewing workshop in D.R. Congo for young women, street kids, widows, to sew organic sanitary pads.”
The language of Lingala, widely spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo includes the word Elombe. This translates to English as courageous, brave or warrior. It is also a word that can be seen emblazoned across some of Ikono’s designs. And how very fitting it is too! She listened to her calling, stepped away from an arguably safer route in finance, and followed her true path. That takes courage!
Are you ready to explore your own Creative Future?
Whether you’re looking to change careers, develop your creative skills, or turn a passion for design into something more, the Academy’s Fahsion Design courses are designed to help you build practical, industry-ready skills from home with personalised tutor feedback and flexible online learning.
Explore now and discover where your creativity could take you.
