Vanessa Kanaiza: How To Create An Accessory Brand Without A Design Background

I met Kanaiza at an event organised by Dior Bediako – the founder of Pepper Your Talk, a platform aiming at helping interns and young professionals to carve their path in the fashion industry. Kanaiza caught my attention when she introduced her eponymous clutch brand to the panellists.

With no background in design and a degree in literature in the pocket, Kanaiza is currently developing her brand with the help of the British Fashion Council. From how she got that backing from the BFC to how being a storyteller and working at Anya Hindmarch has led the development of her brand – Kanaiza’s experience is as passionating as full of great stories to be inspired by.

On Kanaiza, her eponymous clutch brand…

Kanaiza is an accessory brand and our key product is the Good News clutch. Everything I create has to have a story to it because I am very much about storytelling. I like to create pieces that people can talk about or that are conversational. The Good News clutch has two approaches to it. The aesthetic does look biblical, so it has the influence of orthodox design  but actually what inspires it was this popular question everyone has: ‘do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?’ It’s a kind of piece I thought I’d go to a wine bar with and someone would definitely approach me and would be like ‘excuse me is it a bible in your hand?’ and that could lead to some interesting conversations. So yeah, I’d like everything I make to have that conversational path.

On her studies…

I studied comparative literature at Queen Mary University. My dissertation was based on fairy tales so, my entire thesis was based on Shrek because it champions women and girls in the way that I like. It breaks the spell of beautiful girls waiting for a rich and handsome prince to come and save them. Shrek is not about being attractive and money. I mean Fiona – the main character – fight for herself and Shrek is definitely not a prince charming in his looks. And the prince charming is in fact quite a twat. There are many elements presented in that story giving a more positive narrative for girls.

On working full-time at Anya Hindmarch while being a full-time student…

Although I don’t have a background in design, in my second journey I worked full-time for a brand called Anya Hindmarch. As a company, they pay a lot of attention to details; working there I learned a lot about accessories and handbags.

I was on the shop floor working in a few of their branches, and one of them was in Bond Street where they had their showcase room. I had never seen bags with that much details on them; I got to look at bags differently during my time there. At Anya Hindmarch, bags are not just a thing you carry but a well-thought accessory very much structured around women. The experience undoubtedly influenced my creative process.

It was a regular retail job but, though it was very hard, I could pay my university fees with it that year. I had some fantastic managers there therefore when there were no customers they would tell me to go to the back and read, and if there were some customers, they would call me out. I guess I was fortunate in that way. But it was hard. I had a lot of pressure to meet my deadlines. It is not an easy thing to work and study full-time but, that is not impossible.

On how she became a go-getter…

When I was in my final year of college, my mom said my studies weren’t serious. She said law was the thing I was meant to do. So because I couldn’t do it, I said I wanted to create a magazine, so I thought of people who where like-minded and what they could do. And I got a little team together, we pitched for funding, and we were successful with that pitch. It was then that it clicked. If you want to do something you just have to go for it.

Website: www.kanaiza.com

Instagram: @kanaiza.ldn

Facebook: Kanaiza

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