shopping in nairobi
Massai Collections, Photo By Paul Costello, June/July 2007
- nairobi shops
- Visitors have long considered this city a necessary evil—a place to endure for a night or two before embarking on safari. But a handful of boutiques, restaurants and hotels distill Africa's wild beauty in the most stylish and evocative ways.
- Kitengela Glass
- Adams Arcade Shopping Centre
Visit many Nairobi households, and you'll see blown-glass decanters from this place. Goblets, tumblers and vases in translucent blues and greens can also be found at all three of Kitengela's Nairobi shops.
- Maasai Collections
- Turn right off of Ngong Road just past the Karen roundabout, at the sign for Talisman restaurant
254-0722-276-000 Former model Elizabeth Warner teamed with Parisian milliner Nathalie Sergent to launch this exquisite one-stop shop. Alongside their riffs on African clothing and jewelry is everything from traditional wall hangings to bone salad servers and wooden candlesticks. Go on a Friday, and you might see Maasai women working on the beaded designs that have won over Donna Karan and Dosa's Christina Kim.
- The Silk Road
- At The Karen Crossroads
Owner Sally Dudmesh studied with bedouin silversmiths in Cairo before moving to Kenya, and her globe-hopping is reflected in her jewels. Esoteric amulets, such as Tibetan turquoise nestled in gold, open vistas to far-flung places.
- Zebu
- At the Junction, Dagoretti Corner
254-20-386-4665 This tiny store yields amazing African exotica. Native Kenyan Linda Camm's horn cuffs and leather sandals are just like what's made and worn by the Maasai tribe. And Annabelle Thom's romantic, nip-waisted skirts in floral silk and muslin are just the way to weather the shimmering heat of the Rift Valley.
