KYŌKO: The Fashion Brand Tackling Under-Representation With ‘Earthy Shades That Naturally Highlight(s) ALL Skin Tones’

London-based, contemporary and inclusive fashion brand, KYŌKO, – was born from the desire to tackle under-representation in the fashion industry, with ‘earthy shades that naturally highlight(s) ALL skin tones.’

The label was launched in 2020 by Carla Cushnie. “The concept for KYŌKO came from the fact that I felt underrepresented as a woman of colour in a somewhat over saturated industry. I wanted to create a brand that would inspire a feeling of celebration of one’s self, for women of all complexions and walks of life,” explained Carla.

She also said: “I have always loved earthy tones and the ways in which they naturally highlight all skin tones, however when shopping, I could not find the shades I wanted for myself. This is how the brand’s slogan “redefining the notion of nude, one shade at a time” came to me. I wanted to challenge industry’s standards, whilst encouraging inclusivity and diversity.”

The KYŌKO journey started during the beginning of Carla’s second year as a politics student. Even though she loved loved her degree, she felt she ‘owed it to herself,’ – to embrace her creative side.

“I come from a background in which I was always encouraged to explore my creativity. My mother is a fashion designer too, and so I have always had an incline to work within the industry. Balancing my university workload with KYŌKO was at times a challenge, but I knew I had to give it everything,” confessed Carla.