Clothing retailer Vivo Fashion Group is expanding its fashion and lifestyle brand into the USA and making Atlanta its first market.
Based in Nairobi, Kenya, Vivo is East Africa’s largest women’s department store. The company not only supplies the region with trendy styles, but also seeks to create economic opportunities on the continent through fashion.
“We started the business 13 years ago and have grown quite quickly,” said Wandia Gichuru, co-founder and CEO of Vivo. “This is our 27th store and we have 26 stores in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.”
Gichuru and her partner Anne Marie Burugu’s goal for Vivo is to provide affordable products for dark-skinned and curvy women. They have found that many retail companies do not take into account the unique body shapes, sizes, silhouettes and colors that suit dark skin.
Both of them knew that they wanted to expand the company to another country and continent, so they initially chose North America.
They first introduced their store to Americans during the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans in 2023, but now they’re establishing a permanent presence. Gichuru chose Atlanta as the location of their next store because of its large African-American population and the busy airport nearby.
Over 40 percent of Atlanta residents identify as Black or African American, making them a significant target audience for Vivo, a demographic similar to its markets within the African diaspora.
Another reason was the city’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, which makes it easy for them to ship products to Georgia. Now Vivo becomes another international business service provider in the Peach State.
“We’re very much in learning mode and understanding what the market needs here,” Gichuru said. “We can change things up depending on what people prefer in the U.S. — this kind of product with this kind of service and this kind of chat.”
In addition to its own products, Vivo also distributes other women-owned Keyan brands including Chesi, Kambua, Safari and Zoya, which offer clothing, homeware and beauty products.
“I want to support entrepreneurs of all genders, but I feel like women need that extra push,” Gichuru said. “Sometimes we are our own worst enemies because we don’t necessarily have the confidence to take a risk.”
She also said that shopping at the boutique will have a positive impact on Kenya’s economy, especially for women.
The African country reports female unemployment of 7.6 percent, the highest in over 30 years. About 70 percent of Vivo employees are women. Gichuru said she hopes her efforts will help them turn ideas into action and reach their full potential.
“I want people to visit our website, check out our products, visit our store in Atlanta,” Gichuru said. “And more importantly, I want them to know that they’re not just buying one of our brands, they’re supporting an entire ecosystem of people.”
Vivo is located on Market Street in Atlantic Station across from the Nike store.
