This kaleidoscopic jacket collection was created during a month-long residency at the Rivatex East Africa textile factory in Eldoret, Kenya.

The jackets are made using patchwork – a technique with a history spanning thousands of years and present in cultures worldwide. Patchwork has traditionally served both practical and artistic purposes: repairing clothing, providing insulation, and, in difficult times, “making something out of nothing.”

The African Collage jackets are simple in form, with a relaxed unisex cut, and are reversible. One side features patchwork composed of the colourful, intricate cotton prints characteristic of Africa – fabrics produced at the factory and the offcuts from dress and shirt production. The other side is made from cotton flannel rescued from the reject pile due to dyeing flaws, enhanced with diamond quilting and trims sewn from patterned scraps.

The distinctive diamond patchwork design was inspired by the geometric motifs decorating the Rivatex factory gates and garden. One jacket was created entirely from the smallest leftover pieces – remnants from cutting the diamonds themselves – showing how even the tiniest fragments can find practical use.

With this collection, I sought to offer the factory a practical idea for how textile offcuts from garment production could be fully utilized.