Amidst an age of fast fashion and fleeting trends, Josephine Kisaka is a dramatically different story. She isn’t a fashion designer but a dream builder, a trade instructor, and a fashion thinker who sees fashion not only as clothing but as an identity-filled tapestry of identity, commerce, and cultural identity.
In a recent interview, JoKisaka Fashion founder and driving force behind the Shears Institute of Fashion Technology Art and Design (SHIFT) explained her process, her vision, and the profound influence she is having on the youth and fashion landscape in Uganda.
From Passion to Purpose: The Genesis of a Movement
Josephine’s journey began with an ordinary flame: a passion for imagination and storytelling through fashion. Where she is different, however, is how that passion grew. It was fostered from the sketchboard and sewing machine to a two-part purpose: creating beautiful pieces and teaching the future generation how to do the same.
“I’ve been able to teach my skills at SHIFT,” she says, “where I help young people learn work-level, hands-on skills in fashion and design.” It’s not a hobby; it’s the culmination of a lifetime of struggle.
SHIFT: The Engine of Empowerment
SHIFT is not a school; it’s an engine room of hands-on training. The figures are breathtaking:
Over 7,000 individuals have been trained in the previous six years.
50+ dedicated staff team.
Over 3,000 products are designed by its Creative Enterprise, ranging from handmade fashion to an array of surprise handmade products, including handbags and washing powder.
SHIFT’s curriculum is laser-focused on employability, with short courses in tailoring, garment construction, and fashion illustration followed by on-the-job apprenticeships and entrepreneurial training. For those who are new, the JoKisaka Fashion studio offers everything from bridesmaids’ gowns to office wear, so luxury style is within reach.
Weaving a Sustainable Future
In an industry long complicit in excess, Josephine is a beacon of sustainable design. Her designs are guided by the “slow fashion” philosophy.
“Sustainability is what we’re coming in on,” she continues. The JoKisaka brand honors locally grown, sustainable materials, reuses leftover fabric, and applies zero-waste cutting techniques. It’s not just an environmental necessity; it’s a process that teaches students to design for longevity and cultural significance.
The Fashion Business: Networking and Taking Down Walls
As a former BNI Diamond President, Josephine has leveraged the networking capability to create genuine business prospects. It has been “instrumental” in securing partnerships, securing sponsorships, and securing enhanced market penetration for her brand and her students, connecting them with real business proprietors.
It’s not actually worth it in a country where emerging fashion designers have so much to overcome. “Access to cash, equipment, and raw material is still a barrier,” she states, continuing that they don’t get visibility and feel safe making money from what they are doing either. “That’s the reason for SHIFT—to fill in the gaps with training, mentorship, and visibility to industry. We learn the art and the business of fashion.”
Fashion as a Tool of Identity and Sustainable Livelihood
Josephine believes that the power of fashion lies in its double effect. Fashion is both an expression of identity and an economic activity.
“Nothing to do with fashion, everything to do with identity, expression, and business,” she explains. “It gives young people a voice and a means of survival. When youth unemployment levels are high, as they are in Uganda, fashion does not merely provide work but also dignity.”
That is what she learns about through her #DesignedByJoKisaka campaign, advocating for African authenticity. “Our culture is rich, diverse, and visually potent. African-inspired fashion isn’t only gorgeous, it’s dramatic, unique, and tells our tale to the world.”
A Vision Patched with Hope
So what awaits Ugandan fashion in Josephine Kisaka’s view?
“I envision a successful, ethical, and globally recognized fashion company that is both creative and culturally rooted. More youth brands, more partnerships with Africa, and more women at the helm are my vision. Uganda has talent, just a bit more investment, guidance, and faith.”
Her guidance to aspiring designers without professional training is an invitation to be inspired: “Start small, start where you are. Passion, discipline, and consistency are key. Don’t wait for a big opportunity—create one.”
The Final Stitch
Josephine Kisaka is sewing more than clothes; she’s stitching together Uganda’s future. With every student she empowers at SHIFT, every eco-friendly garment from her line, and every connection formed in her network, she is proving fashion can make a difference. She is weaving a legacy in which pieces of cloth turn into threads of possibility, of self-worth, and of unbeatable cultural pride.
