Hailing from “Nowhere, Oklahoma” but now living in New York City, Recho Omondi is a designer. But rather than one who gives into fashion’s churn, she releases only a single deeply autobiographical womenswear collection a year, drawing on personal inspirations like her years of ballet and summers spent in her parents’ home country of Kenya.
She’s also the creator and host of OMONDI Presents: The Cutting Room Floor, a vital fashion podcast that has so far interviewed the likes of Heron Preston, Diet Prada, and model and diversity advocate Bethann Hardison. The project breaks down long-held ideas of how far industry figures are allowed to interrogate and critique the systems they work in, with Omondi herself discussing everything from whether it’s time for Anna Wintour to leave Vogue, to the role of a fashion journalist. In an industry which has its freedom of speech so curtailed by relationships and keeping advertisers happy, hers is a refreshing, unflinchingly honest perspective, one motivated by a love for the industry rather than a desire to throw shade.
Next, Omondi is taking The Cutting Room Floor on a pop-up world tour, recording live in London, Amsterdam, Chicago, NYC, LA, and Mexico City, with some exciting special guests along for each episode.
Emma Hope Allwood
