Enzi to launch in the UK

Enzi, a new high-end men’s footwear brand, using ethically sources materials from Africa

has announced plans to launch in the UK this summer. The brainchild of four entrepreneurs, Sam Imende, Jawad Braye, Azariah Mengistu, and Christian Ward, aims to reinvent perceptions of Africa through high-quality fashion with a global business model founded on supporting real economic growth in various African countries.

The footwear brand will launch in the UK in May with its flagship model, Menelik, designed by the Enzi team and produced by artisan craftsmen in Ethiopia, using leather and materials sourced from Africa.

At the core to its philosophy, Enzi is committed to the artists and workers that produce the footwear, and will ensure that they not only pay an amount proportional to the shoe value, but also include the workers on a community board of suppliers that will have a direct influence on the growth and future of the business.

Jawad Braye, Enzi Creative Director commented: “We want to demonstrate that Africa has an equal role to play in the union of cultures that defines global fashion, that Africa can stand tall on the shoulders of its quality, creativity and craftsmanship.

“Britain and London in particular, has a culture of embracing eclecticism, new trends and new ways of thinking. We want to spark a global revolution in thinking through doing something that stands apart. The UK seems like the natural home for that.”