Kemi Ajose

Kemi is a knitwear designer based in South East London, creating work that tells a story and explores the relationship between material, culture, and craft. Her designs draw inspiration from traditional West African textiles, which she reinterprets into contemporary knitwear, reflecting her Ghanaian and Nigerian heritage within a British context. 

Craftsmanship is at the heart of Kemi’s practice. All her work is handmade and fully fashioned on a hand-powered knitting machine, resulting in zero-waste production. She uses deadstock materials wherever possible, transforming what would otherwise be considered waste into extraordinary garments. For example, she once cut brightly coloured earth sleeving from electric cables into beads to create a tube top, demonstrating how everyday materials can be reimagined.