Chloe Stewart Collective
Chloe Stewart Collective makes refined, embroidered homeware hand stitched by women in Nairobi’s Kayole Soweto settlement, where over 70% of households live on less than one dollar a day. With daily realities shaped by poverty, limited education and high rates of violent crime – including kidnappings, armed robberies and child trafficking – women and widows are often excluded from stable employment.
Working in partnership with UCESCO Africa’s Skylit Centre, Chloe Stewart Collective equips local women with professional-level embroidery training and fairly paid work on products like tablecloths, napkins, lampshades and custom pieces.
With every stitch, traditional Kenyan embroidery becomes a source of income, pride, cultural preservation and community connection. Women earn a sustainable wage and gain access to education – covering English, accountancy, family health and art workshops for their children. This holistic programming forms a pathway away from poverty, rooted in skill-building and dignity.
Each piece is design-led and ethically made to order, drawing on bold motifs and vibrant colour palettes rooted in Kenyan craft. Collaborations with hospitality and interior design partners sit alongside individual commissions – bringing slow, considered production to a wider audience.
Chloe Stewart studied textiles at the University of Leeds and built her early career in sustainable fashion – first under Phoebe English, then styling editorial shoots for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Harrods magazine, before assisting celebrity stylist Nicky Yates. During the pandemic, she refined her embroidery skills, producing bespoke wearable art and décor using hand stitched motifs inspired by artists such as Picasso and Matisse.
In 2024, she relocated to Nairobi and founded Chloe Stewart Collective, inspired by the bold colour traditions of Kenyan embroidery and driven by a belief that fashion can heal.
Founded By
Chloe Stewart