The Kowa Story

The design ethos of the Kowa Studio is defined by ease and relaxation.

The naturally-dyed cotton and linen clothing retain a raw base whilst evoking sparks of modernity in its patterned ornamentation. The defining motifs of the studio are several characters created using varying permutations of ovals and straight lines. From the simplicity of building step-by-step, line-by-line, shape-by-shape, these characters have grown to populate a world of their own. These emblems of the Kowa Studio participate in their own contemporary rendition of world-building akin to hieroglyphics, digital icons and Igbo uli drawings. The aesthetic of the brand consciously rests between ancient and modern, classic and edgy, quiet and loud as it creates something new whilst acknowledging and respecting the experience of old and thus embodying the spirit of Sankofa — learning from the past to guide our future.

Most recently, the codified figures of the Kowa Studio have found a new plane of existence in the cottons and linens of canvas. Here, they exist both as raw-edged figures still maturing in their formation as well as clean-edged figures beyond the puberty of their design process. The juxtaposition of these two registers of image-rendering evokes the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi, finding beauty within imperfection and impermanence. Additionally, it highlights how centred experience and gentle development is to the spirit of Kowa.