DESIGNA MAGAZINE DESIGNA ISSUE III 2019 2 | Page 122

D E S I G N A
BATA DESIGNERS APPRENTICE CHALLENGE
Bata Designers' Apprentice Challenge:
Bata (Kenya) as part of a project to empower the youth;
Design Network Africa
Steve �airu uniquely chose to
design a gum boot with African
print, which we could imagine
standing out while splashing its way
through Nairobi puddles. He also
created an open shoe, inspired by the
need for feet to breathe.
The designers created a
diverse and inspiring
range of footwear, from
open toe to boots.
In September last year, Bata's President for
Africa Alberto Errico welcomed four
aspiring young designers from the University
of Nairobi and the Technical University of
Kenya as part of the new “Bata Designers
Apprentice” competition.
Bata Designers Apprentice is a Bata Kenya
product development initiative that aims to
give students and emerging designers in
Kenya the opportunity to create a classic
shoe for Bata, while gaining experience
working at one of the biggest footwear
manufacturer in Kenya and East Africa.
In order to start the project, Esther Kute,
product development manager of Bata
Kenya, contacted design schools from the
University of Nairobi and the Technical
University of Kenya for applicants – all
current undergraduate design students and
recent graduates, with priority given to
textile, fashion and product designers.
Bata Kenya then chose nine �nalists who
were then invited to present their portfolios
to a panel in Limuru back in May 2017. Out
of the nine, four designers, Ian Abraham,
Cynthia Allela, Moraa Nyabame and Steve
�airu, were selected to take part in the
competition.
�e four designers have been working to
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design an affordable collection of shoes for
the Kenyan market, to be produced in Bata
Kenya's Limuru factory. �e short-listed
designers have been gaining hands-on
experience in designing for manufacturing
and product development processes from
their visits to the Bata shoe factory in
Limuru, and have undergone training in
basic footwear design.
�e Bata Designers Apprentice came to an
end with the Grand Finale, hosted by
Angela Muiruri, which took place on Friday
26th January 201� at the Bata �agship store
in Nairobi.
�e initiative enlisted student and emerging
designers in Kenya to create footwear for
Bata through a designers' competition, while
gaining experience at one of the biggest
footwear manufacturers in East Africa.
Cynthia Allela was then announced as the
winner, receiving the main prize of 50,000
KSh, as well as the opportunity to have her
design introduced into production by Bata
Kenya. She was congratulated on stage by Dr
Lilac Osanjo (University of Nairobi) and
Professor Odoch Pido (Technical University
of Kenya) and received the award from
Alberto Errico and Esther Kute of Bata
Kenya.