Behind the Print: How the "Nairobi" Print Was Born in My Sketchbook
I don’t design for women who want to disappear. I design for women who are ready to be seen. And Nairobi? She says that loud and clear.
This print came straight out of my sketchbook and my studio instincts. It’s bold, layered, and full of attitude, exactly how I like my clothes and exactly how I like the women of G'wan by Charon to feel when they wear them.
Welcome to the Serengeti Utopia
To understand Nairobi, you have to understand the world she comes from. The collection is called Serengeti, but in my mind it’s really G'wan Utopia.
In my Utopia, all the beautiful animals roam free together. Tigers, zebras, cheetahs, all of it. No rules. No “that doesn’t belong there.” Just beauty, power, and freedom living side by side. That’s the energy I wanted in this collection, and especially in Nairobi.
That’s also how I believe women should dress. No shrinking. No fading into the background. Just showing up fully as yourself.
Two Prints. One Vision.
I was sitting at my desk with my prints spread right out in front of me, the design boards lined up by season the way I always keep them.
That’s when I looked over at this bold 1970s mod print I originally had planned for fall and had a full lightbulb moment: Whoa, wait—I can see this for now, now, now!
Right there, I started seeing it differently. I could picture that mod print layered with the wild animal energy, merged into one look with movement, texture, and attitude. I didn’t have to overthink it. I saw it instantly.
That’s what made Nairobi special. It came together in one of those real designer moments where the vision hits you all at once, and you know you better follow it.
Photoshop, Layers, and the “Boom” Moment
I was trying to explain to my graphci designer what I evnvision for this new rpint... She could not understand. So I created I had to pull out my Graphic Desinger skill and headed over to Photoshop to create a mock up for her.
Once she saw the layered Photoshop file, it was instant: boom, I get it now!
That was the moment Nairobi really clicked. The depth, the movement, the texture, it all came together exactly the way I saw it in my head.
And that’s the thing about design: sometimes you have to show the vision, not just explain it. Nairobi was never meant to be ordinary. She was meant to make a statement.
Three Ways to Wear Nairobi
I brought Nairobi to life in three standout bodies, and yes, they’re all available at gwanbycharon.com:
Each one gives you a different way to wear the print, but the energy is the same: bold, confident, and impossible to ignore.
Join Me and Shop Nairobi
If Nairobi is speaking your language, shop the collection now at gwanbycharon.com
And come hang out with us in all the right places: on Facebook or Youtube
- Join the G'wan Galère Facebook group
- Catch Slay Deal Live every Wednesday at 7:30 PM EST
- Follow us on socials @gwabycharon
This is what G'wan by Charon is all about: Real Women | Real Life | Real Style.
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