Inspired by Botswana’s magical, mystical, and monumental heritage sites, the multilaterally crafted pieces of Koki Kamala’s Tsodilo — Stories of the Land collection are playful, larger-than-life, and a beautiful celebration of the country’s natural beauty and identity.
Following its Zimbabwe Fashion Week debut last month, brand founder Koki Chiepe discusses generational craftsmanship, philosophically driven sustainability, and how she wants people to feel.
YLA: How did the name Koki Kamala come about, and what meaning does it hold for you?
Koki: I lived in India for a long time, and when I was coming up with the name for my brand, I really wanted something meaningful. Koki comes from my name, Koketso, and Kamala means lotus flower in Sanskrit.
The symbolism of the lotus flower — how it grows, and where it grows — resonated with my own journey: just starting and blooming from where you are. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you’ve been through — anything is possible.
YLA: What inspired you for your latest collection?
Koki: I’m originally from Botswana, and we have two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One is the Okavango Delta, an inland water delta with these really interesting meandering rivers. We’re a landlocked country, but it’s one of the biggest inland deltas in the world.
The other is the Tsodilo Hills, called the “Louvre of the Desert”, which contain approximately 4 000 rock paintings. The stories of first-millennium AD African life are preserved there.
YLA: How do you translate the spirit of a place — its textures, history, and energy — into wearable pieces?
Koki: I used the symbols, reimagining them in textiles and jewellery. I’m proud of where we are as African people.
It’s an homage —to say we’re here today carrying forward their stories; it’s like historical preservation as well.
YLA: What personal experiences are evident in the collection?
Koki: I travel a lot, and the places I’ve visited — Ghana, Kenya, India, Niger, Indonesia — have informed how I create.
They’re very artisanal, and I’m fascinated by craftsmanship.
YLA: What is “joyful manufacturing” and how did partnerships come into play for this collection?
Koki: I’ve been inspired by heritage craftsmanship, textiles, and techniques like beading and Zardozi embroidery. It’s a sort of cross-cultural exchange.
The artisans I collaborate with in Kenya and Indonesia, whom I met just by accident, are people who really understand how to work with the pieces.
That’s also the story — the product travels before it even reaches the buyer.
YLA: How do you turn these stories into accessories?
Koki: When telling a story, you make it special by adding the details, the texture. The bags, for example, are engraved. Even though it’s laser done, it takes a long time.
Luxury is the time — the time it takes to craft something thoughtfully.
YLA: Koki Kamala is described as “designing with sustainability at heart.” How does this combine with luxury?
Koki: Sustainability is philosophical, cultural and process-driven, not just material-based. It’s deeper than that. It’s about intention: how we create, and who we create with.
The essence of sustainable luxury is not repurposing what’s left over, but revaluing what already exists, what has always been sacred.
YLA: How do you want those who wear your pieces to feel?
Koki: I want people to feel joy and pride, to know that luxury has a soul.
YLA: What have your travels taught you personally and as a creator?
Koki: My travels have made me understand that we’re all connected through creation, through fashion.
Beauty speaks many languages, and I’ve learned just by living that creativity grows when you listen.
