Up and coming: Jekkah Clothing

Jekkah: an unusual name for a brand, based on the Wolof meaning “to be beautiful or elegant” and “to be well-dressed.”

It’s fair to say Jekkah clothing certainly lives up to its name. Founded in 2013 in Gambia, Jekkah offers a whole new twist on streetwear. With their flagship store in Camden, the brand couldn’t be further from Gambia - where all of its products are designed and produced - yet it fits in like it was born to influence UK style. Inspired by classic African prints, Jekkah brings bold and bright prints to daily wear and combines them in unusual and interesting ways. The originality of their pieces provides a new take on the ‘ethnic’ trend and their use of amazing vibrant colours brings real West African patterns to the rest of the world in the form of a modern clothing with contemporary cuts.

The fabrics they use keep the essence of African culture, with all items made from 100% cotton African wax print materials, whilst still managing to incorporate a modern fashion twist. The brand aims to be accessible to people from all walks of life, and I think they’ve managed this beautifully. From bold, bright crop tops to elegant, subtle pencil skirts, they have really provided colourful clothing for every occasion, body type and age group.  Their range isn’t only unique in its fabric design, but also in its well-structured nature which flatters all sizes and gives a very feminine shape to all its womenswear collection. The clothing also caters to every season with layer-friendly pieces that gives an exciting vibe to even the dullest winter day.

“From bold, bright crop tops to elegant, subtle pencil skirts, they have really provided colourful clothing for every occasion, body type and age group.  Their range isn’t only unique in its fabric design”

The company’s beautiful clothing doesn’t just end at womenswear however, as their menswear also conjures up quite a stir. It features bright shirts, shorts, trousers and jackets - a nice change to the many companies who skimp on menswear with dull fabrics and duller designs.

The brand doesn’t just provide lively patterns, but a livelihood for all involved in the company. Jekkah creates jobs and sustainable incomes for its African producers, by using only skilled, local Gambian tailors. They not only pride themselves on making high quality garments, but also on giving back to the base of their brand; giving £1 out of every £25 of online sales to the ERASE foundation, a charity aiming to help impoverished children living in the rural areas of Africa.

The company’s goal is to help put Gambia on the map and to be known globally as a staple brand in African casual wear, and from what I can tell they are already very far into achieving this. You can wear any of their products with confidence that you will stand out and look fabulous. Every piece is limited edition, as only a small quantity is made in each design, so you can be assured you won’t be wearing the same thing as anyone else!

Jekkah are well deserving of their endorsements by many big names such as Fuse ODG, Paloma Faith, Natty, MNEK and I’m sure we’d all love to add our names to the ever growing list!