Best looks from themed events of 2024

Best looks from themed events of 2024 (Photo: Courtesy of each)

We bring you some of the best red-carpet looks in the Nairobi fashion scene in the first quarter of 2024.  

Kenyan entertainment, fashion and beauty personalities have been under fire on social media for what most people call a “lack of effort” when dressing up for red carpet events.

But lately, there has been a lot of effort to change the status quo as witnessed in recent events.

Over the years, certain fashion trends and styles have become normal and universally accepted. From elegant, stylish dresses for the ladies to contemporary tuxedos for the men, the red carpet, or just say, the welcoming run and photo booth is where fashion trends are born, celebrated used to define new fashion seasons.

Dress codes differ significantly depending on the formality of the event and ceremony as well as the red carpet and the event’s dress code dictates.

Sometimes it might be challenging to get themes right owing to the duration given to get the dress to look right after a late invite. 

However, it must be observed, that a lot goes into event planning, including decisions on colour coordination that determine the overall outcome in terms of look and ambience.

Suzie Wokabi (Photo: SW)

Last weekend, Suzie Wokabi, pioneer of African beauty was launching SB DadaKe, a beauty-tech brand curated for trend-driven, fashion-forward individual, an idea that is focused as transforming the cosmetics space to meet the digital era. The theme was “Elegant Flamingo”.

Well, flamingo dress, or look, speaks to luxury and somewhat playful look. It is usually dominated by pink colour. Once a tacky lawn garment, the flamingo fashion is powerfully back as a design element and it’s on the trends this year.  

Flamingos are the it of style right now, bringing back a look that was born in 1957.

This is a look we have seen celebrated personalities like Rihanna pull with top designers such as Norwegian’s Fam Irvoll as well as Christian Siriano pushing the limits.

The SB Dada intimate ceremony set the pace when it comes to elegant lady feel top edge ceremonies in Nairobi city. This one stood out.  

The fashion charge has been led by apparels worn by showbiz host and corporate emcee Claudia Naisabwa who has now become a fashion trendsetter.

She is a sassy star who oozes class and style; wearing more than two outfits in one event.  The Kalasha International Film and TV Awards and the East Africa Arts Entertainment Awards held last Sunday are some of the events she has hosted recently.

Actress Sarah Hassan (Photo: S. Hassan)

Film producer, director and actress Sarah Hassan also stood out during the Kalasha with Suzie Wokabi standing out during her SB Dada launch ceremony.

Two weeks ago, it was glitz and colour  at the Kalasha International Film and TV Awards whose red-carpet gala theme was black and gold. They say black and gold is a Hollywood obsession but here we are embracing this classy look.

Top film actors, actresses, director and producers dressed the nines, with some ladies embracing the soft gowns with lace-and-embroidered high neck bodice as others went for the ultra-curvy silhouette and sparkling gold stunners.

Just like the flamingo fashion, black gold is a very hot colour combo this year.     

At the recently concluded Pulse Music and Video Awards, the dress code was black tie. This means that attendees were expected to display an overall aesthetic of timeless elegance in formal but stylish outfits.

Women are typically expected to wear fashionable floor-length gowns and accessorise with chic statement jewelry and designer heels or very contemporary shoes. Men should wear a combination of dinner jackets with black bow ties and polished leather shoes.