Designing for Him: Why I Expanded Chi & Stainless into Menswear
For years, I designed primarily for women not because I didn’t have a vision for menswear, but because I had so much to say about femininity, memory, and presence.
But something shifted. More and more men were asking:
“Do you design for us too?”
I took it as an invitation not just to add another line, but to build a space where African men could wear stories, too.
Today, I’m proud to share that Chi & Stainless now includes a growing menswear collection.
“Modern African Man”
My goal with menswear wasn’t to replicate the women’s line it was to translate the same storytelling into a masculine form.
I thought about:
- How African men carry legacy
- How comfort can coexist with ceremony
- How subtle design can still say something powerful
We’ve introduced:
- Hand-cut Ankara shirts with structured collars
- Wide-leg trousers inspired by 1970s highlife icons
- Layered pieces in cotton, linen, and soft-washed chiffon
“Structure Meets Style”
I want our menswear to be for the man who isn’t afraid to feel:
To feel grounded, to feel seen, and to feel beautiful, too.
Our first small-batch run sold out within two weeks. That response told me this was more than a side project.
It was a new chapter.
Related Links:
- Shop Menswear → (Men category)
- Read about my first collection → (about us)
- See how memory fuels my designs →(Shop Us)
