About us

Established in 2017, Kente Gentlemen is a clothing brand based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire with the mission of fostering ethical means of production and consumption of clothing. In our in-house ateliers, we design and tailor contemporary clothing and accessories, in collaboration with local craftswomen and men.

The essence of the brand is to mold a sustainable balance of color, poetry, and culture as we remain consistent in the continuing research, discovery, (re)design, and use of handwoven textiles.

Among the myriad of wax print designs and fabrics, which have effectively been marketed and sold across the African continent for decades now, it’s easy for anyone to get lost into what is perceived to be African fashion.

There’s surely a lot of misconceptions out there about what is meant by “African Fashion”. What even qualifies a style, a trend, a fashion, to legitimately be called African?

“African Fashion” is for all of us to discover; it is too expansive to narrowly be defined, and it doesn’t need to be. Fashion in Africa encompasses a multitude of traditions, cultures, textures, forms, techniques and philosophies, all together, and so is far removed from the confines of a single story. Its plurality, interwoven by a seamless mystery makes it all truly poetic, colorful, and enchanting.

Aristide Loua

Creative Director - Founder