Klenam Clothing

Klenam Clothing is a brand with a story of passion and determination at its core. In a life so far full of knock backs the founding of this brand seemed a blurred vision which just kept getting further and further away. It was then from the lowest point that determination and passion for art brought the journey to launching the Klenam Clothing brand to the forefront of plans.

Originally from West Africa, Ghana founder and creative director of Klenam Clothing Kelvin Gyimah is from and from a young age shown a keen interest in art. Talking about where the love for art and fashion came from Kelvin said, 'I was inspired by my mother, a seamstress, during my early childhood.' Continuing with, 'Despite living in an African household, where being an artist was not a commonly accepted career choice, I began drawing and sketching down ideas.' But unfortunately for Kelvin they faced knock backs, struggles in school which were blamed down to a miss-focus of attention Kelvin faced discouragement from entering the art industry. Telling us about his mothers attempts to get him to focus elsewhere academically Kelvin said, 'While I struggled in every subject in school, except for art, my mother wasn't supportive of my drawings. She believed they were the reason for my academic failures and did her best to discourage my love for art. I understood her concerns, considering the limited opportunities for success as an artist where I grew up. However, I wished she could comprehend the immense significance drawing held for me.' For the time being Kelvin shelved the art dream and in 2014 moved to the United states where he lived with his Father. Citing better education and opportunities and a new life in a different environment being the main reasons for the move. Unlike Kelvin's mother, his Father was one to encourage passions and dreams ,'My father always encouraged my siblings and I to believe in ourselves and pursue our passions, emphasizing that anything was possible with consistency and dedication' Kelvin explained.

It wasn't until 2020 where Kelvin found life going down, talking about life at the time Kelvin told us, 'I found myself working at Home Depot, despising my job, and drowning my dissatisfaction in alcohol. I lacked passion, goals, and the drive to pursue higher education. I realised I needed to make a change, but I was lost and without direction'. Something which so many people find themselves going through and when you realise it you have two options; Continue down this route or find a way out. It was early 2021 where the opportunity for a way out came to Kelvin after an old friend from back home reached out via social media asking about Kelvin's artwork, sparking something in Kelvin's mind: a forgotten memory, a forgotten love. Telling us about that moment Kelvin said,'It was at that moment I rediscovered my purpose in life. I resumed drawing and honed my design skills. It would be later in 2021 Klenam clothing would be launched.

Klenam means shine for me something Kelvin's mother used to say. Upon launching Klenam Clothing, the aim was to inspire artists facing similar challenges, Kelvin wanted to urge them to persevere and keep pushing forward to shine brightly.

Talking about the brand Kelvin wants to, 'create clothing that will evoke the inner child in people. I want to transport people back in time to those magical moments of childhood, where imagination knew no bounds.' This is how Kelvin shares their art with the world and you can see by looking at the garments produced by Klenam clothing they are achieving just that. The story of Klenam Clothing doesn't stop here with the brand growing Kelvin has bigger aspirations and goals telling the biggest goal, 'my biggest goal with my brand is to be able to open a creative enter back home that is fulfilling funded my klenam clothing' and with everything Kelvin has achieved so far we see no reason why this can't happen either. With his Father's beliefs of consistency and dedication we believe Klenam Clothing will just keep growing and growing and one day opening that centre.

Founder and creative director of Klenam Clothing Kelvin Gyimah

You can shop the full collection over at klenamclothing.com. You can also follow them on Instagram .