This profile traces how Eva Kiama moved from job hunting after university to building Arim Designs, a fashion label shaped by family influence, online tutorials and persistence.
Kiama says the idea started long before she ever sold a garment. As a child in Nyahururu, she spent time at her aunt Muthoni’s tailoring shop, watching her knit sweaters and cut fabric. That early exposure, she says, planted the interest that later became a business.
After excelling in school, Kiama studied Actuarial Science at university and then entered the job market. When work did not come, she turned to fashion videos on YouTube for distraction and, eventually, instruction. She began sketching designs and taking them to local tailors, but the results often disappointed her.
Her first piece came in July 2017, when she made an African fabric skirt for her sister using only a needle and thread. The reaction convinced her to keep going. Soon after, Auntie Muthoni gave her a sewing machine, and Kiama says that is when the work became serious.
She later settled on the name Arim Designs, drawn from the nickname her father uses for her. She said the brand needed something personal, and “Arim” — from her middle name Wairimu — fit what she wanted.
By the last months of 2017, she was learning the machine, testing fabrics and building confidence. In January 2018, she began taking client orders from home, and in June 2018 she opened her own shop. At the time of the interview, she said she had no employees, though the workload was already becoming difficult to manage alone.
Young women make up most of her customers, although she says she designs for anyone who comes to her. Her marketing is heavily digital: Facebook, Instagram and online delivery form the backbone of how Arim Designs reaches buyers. She also uses friends and satisfied clients as models to showcase her work online.
Kiama says deadlines remain her biggest headache. Without staff support, one delayed delivery can affect the next order, and she says honesty with customers has helped her manage expectations. She also pointed to communication problems, especially when clients ignore her advice on what suits their body type and later ask for changes.
For inspiration, she turns to social media, especially Pinterest, but also says she notices ideas in everyday life. Her long-term goal is to change how people view African fabric, moving it beyond special occasions and into daily wear, including office suits.
Asked who she would like to dress, Kiama named Mrs Maria Mbeneka, the Laikipia County governor's wife, and singer Kambua. She said both women have a strong sense of style and would be ideal people to wear her designs.
With Christmas approaching at the time, she said Arim Designs had offers and new pieces lined up for the festive season. Her advice to young entrepreneurs was to follow their hearts, prepare for multitasking and build strong people skills for dealing with clients.
