Kakao Kouture is the brand name of Kaosi Uchendu-Edeh. Kaosi is a fashion designer, textile artist, and lecturer with a strong interest in sustainability, circular economy practices, and the cultural and economic dimensions of fashion and textile production. She holds a Masters degree in fashion design and a Bachelor of Arts also majoring in fashion design.
Her work sits at the intersection of creative practice, education, and research, with a particular focus on textiles as carriers of identity, heritage, and social value. Her designs blend traditional African elements with modern flair, resulting in unique pieces that honour her cultural roots. She explores cultural heritage and social identity through predominantly innovative textile-based media. Her handcrafted creations include soft sculpture figures made from wool balls and African print balls.
As a talented artist, she loves exploring with her indigenous African fabrics and textile fibres using various studio methods to create unique works. Her recent works such as Unravelling Heritage, Folded Family Ties, and Inherited Echoes, exhibited internationally including at the “Heritage” exhibition in Southampton, UK in March 2025, reflect cultural heritage, nature, resilience, and evolving community identities.