ROKAI – an alternative fashion brand that we’re crushing on. Big time
Say Hello to ROKAI, an alternative fashion brand that’s our latest local obsession.
ROKAI is a proponent of gutsy, unapologetic and inclusive fashion. And that’s why we love them right now. They advocate for uniqueness and unapologetic individualism. This is embodied in their chic one-of-a-kind garments that ooze class and timelessness, without taking away from the fun and youthful personality of each item.
We presented the brand team at ROKAI with 7 simple questions to help our readers understand why we’re crushing on this brand so much. Here’s what they had to say.
1. ROKAI? Please explain.
A weaving of brand duo Rome (RO) + Kyle (KAI).
2. What's the pulse of the SA clothing industry at the moment?
The pandemic brought a huge amount of challenge to our industry, but as we are getting to normalising a life with covid-19 – there is a renewed sense of excitement and a lot of creativity as it seems like the ‘end is in sight’! We believe a host of other local brands have made their mark in either luxury or fast-fashion, so there is space in the masstige sector and that’s exactly where we are positioning ourselves.
3. What is ROKAI's autumn must-have item?
4. Who influences/inspires the ROKAI as an alternative fashion brand?
Our design leans itself towards a balance of hard and soft. Masculine and hyper feminine. Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent is a great influence for the edginess we love and 90s designer influences like Tom Ford for Gucci inspires the sexy, chic & sophistication. McQueen is certainly a big inspiration which captures the play between the two so gently and thoughtfully.
7.To shop on Insta… yay or nay?
Absolutely yay! The space between the brand and customer is the holy grail for any brand. With Instagram as another shop window and platform for sales, it allows for direct and focused communication, as the customer is in the palm of our hand. Another thing; to rely on shop keepers or retail assistants as a third party to ‘speak for the brand’ is super difficult, because they might not be as invested in the brand as we are.
Rokai is incredibly visual and Instagram allows for us to inspire current and future customers through our campaigns. We can do this without having to spend thousands on billboards or magazine ads and ‘hope’ for sales. We then translate these visuals into our product, our packaging and all other touch points as it’s a great starting point for an omni-channel approach for retail.
6. If you had to choose one item from ROKAI and wear it for the rest of your life, which item would you choose?
Our ‘Black Fringe Jacket’ that now has arrived in a mouth-watering rainbow version.
7. What role does social media plays in fashion today?
Social media has a massive role in fashion because digital real estate is the new real estate. There’s so much data at your fingertips that allows tracking of spending habits, identify psychographics for future clients, get great responses and to communicate directly to our audience – this allows us to engage with them in a well thought out manner. But it goes both ways, the customer gets in touch with us in a much more effectively and there is dialogue, instead of ‘waiting for a response from head office’.
