Normally, prior to going on my hols I like to pick up a couple of new things, depending where I am shops differ: if in UK I'd pay a visit to Jigsaw, Monsoon and good ol' M&S, whereas in the US it would be J. Crew, Armani Exchange and possibly Banana Republic. Yet pity me here... the choice is less than limited... so this morning, in preparation for my 9-day trip to Watamu, I snuck into Woolworths - can you imagine?... how desperate must I have been. I wandered around and found a top which I can't say I loved, but it was a bit different; I glanced at the pricetag 4,200 Kenyan Shillings - you have GOT to be kidding me, that is over US$50. And I didn't really like it that much, so left empty-handed.
This afternoon I ventured across town to the Toi Mitumba Market, near to Kibera, the largest slum in Africa - featured in last year's Red Nose Day documentary with Lenny Henry, Angela Rippon and others. The Toi consists of a labyrinth of ramshackle shacks and alleys, often with little or no natural light, where high quality second hand clothing, amongst mainly poor quality clothing, can often be found at bargain prices.
I understand that the items on sale are donated in bulk from the US and Europe and shipped to Africa. Once in Nairobi, the stall holders/vendors purchase large quantities of clothing at wholesale prices, then resell them in various markets throughout Kenya. It does seem wierd that people probably believe they are donating clothes to less privileged Africans, whereas the reality is that they are being sold as affordable clothing to the city's poorest residents and to me! Perhaps this system is indeed more sustainable than simply giving the clothes away, since jobs are created and gives these stall holders a sense of being and they take pride in having a job to go to.
One funny thing is that many of the stall vendors size you up as you walk past - obviously thinking they are some kind of personal shoppers?! please don't give up your day jobs guys... as some of the suggestions they were waving in front of me were simply HIDEOUS, coupled with comments like "Oh I know you'll love this sister..." No I won't thank you very much indeed. Don't they know that I would never wear anything with Hannah Montana on the front... seriously...and for that matter who manufactures adult clothing with HM on it?!!! Someone even showed me an orange hoody with a huge embroidered leaf on it?... and another chap was doing his utmost to sell me some jeggings.... Oh scary scary. No thank you.
On my last (which was also my first) visit I wasn't lucky in finding anything worthy of mention. Today, however, I was in luck's way - apparently business was slow and I picked up the following pieces: a silk Armani Exchange dress in lime green, black, white and mid green with an exposed long back zip; a Fenn Wright & Mason silk vest with tropical fish all over it - I know sounds odd, but will get my seamstress to pimp it for me into something more 2012 than its present circa 1986 design...; a French connection top for work (how funny am I? - presently I'm the lady who lunches, plays tennis, chauffeurs the children around, has manicures and pedicures (in the comfort of my home!) and shops @ the second hand clothes market!); a dipped silk chiffon flowing vest by Blumarine in black, graphite, a peacock blue and white; a linen suntop by American Eagle Outfitters; a silk saphire, pearl grey and white vest by DKNY trimmed with silver lame (?!) with LOVE spelt backwards and as a mirror image and a tie back; and a cool looking black long sleeved blouse with ties at neck and cuffs. All for 1,200 Kenyan Shillings.... how awesome is that. Sorry Woolworths, but you weren't a patch on my afternoon's finds. All they need now is for Miriam to handwash and iron them and perhaps get the nearby seamstress to make a few minor adjustments and I'll be good to go. Really, what's not to love about this place, yet it could become a bit addictive. But be warned, the Toi market is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
This afternoon I ventured across town to the Toi Mitumba Market, near to Kibera, the largest slum in Africa - featured in last year's Red Nose Day documentary with Lenny Henry, Angela Rippon and others. The Toi consists of a labyrinth of ramshackle shacks and alleys, often with little or no natural light, where high quality second hand clothing, amongst mainly poor quality clothing, can often be found at bargain prices.
I understand that the items on sale are donated in bulk from the US and Europe and shipped to Africa. Once in Nairobi, the stall holders/vendors purchase large quantities of clothing at wholesale prices, then resell them in various markets throughout Kenya. It does seem wierd that people probably believe they are donating clothes to less privileged Africans, whereas the reality is that they are being sold as affordable clothing to the city's poorest residents and to me! Perhaps this system is indeed more sustainable than simply giving the clothes away, since jobs are created and gives these stall holders a sense of being and they take pride in having a job to go to.
One funny thing is that many of the stall vendors size you up as you walk past - obviously thinking they are some kind of personal shoppers?! please don't give up your day jobs guys... as some of the suggestions they were waving in front of me were simply HIDEOUS, coupled with comments like "Oh I know you'll love this sister..." No I won't thank you very much indeed. Don't they know that I would never wear anything with Hannah Montana on the front... seriously...and for that matter who manufactures adult clothing with HM on it?!!! Someone even showed me an orange hoody with a huge embroidered leaf on it?... and another chap was doing his utmost to sell me some jeggings.... Oh scary scary. No thank you.
On my last (which was also my first) visit I wasn't lucky in finding anything worthy of mention. Today, however, I was in luck's way - apparently business was slow and I picked up the following pieces: a silk Armani Exchange dress in lime green, black, white and mid green with an exposed long back zip; a Fenn Wright & Mason silk vest with tropical fish all over it - I know sounds odd, but will get my seamstress to pimp it for me into something more 2012 than its present circa 1986 design...; a French connection top for work (how funny am I? - presently I'm the lady who lunches, plays tennis, chauffeurs the children around, has manicures and pedicures (in the comfort of my home!) and shops @ the second hand clothes market!); a dipped silk chiffon flowing vest by Blumarine in black, graphite, a peacock blue and white; a linen suntop by American Eagle Outfitters; a silk saphire, pearl grey and white vest by DKNY trimmed with silver lame (?!) with LOVE spelt backwards and as a mirror image and a tie back; and a cool looking black long sleeved blouse with ties at neck and cuffs. All for 1,200 Kenyan Shillings.... how awesome is that. Sorry Woolworths, but you weren't a patch on my afternoon's finds. All they need now is for Miriam to handwash and iron them and perhaps get the nearby seamstress to make a few minor adjustments and I'll be good to go. Really, what's not to love about this place, yet it could become a bit addictive. But be warned, the Toi market is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
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