Before Kemi Ajose ever picked up a knitting needle, she was a track and field athlete — someone who thrived on movement, rhythm, and discipline. Those early years taught her about focus and self-motivation, qualities that now shape her second career as an award-winning knitwear designer.

Born to Ghanaian and Nigerian parents, Kemi — founder of Morenikeji Textiles — draws deeply from her heritage, translating the traditions of West African craft into bold, contemporary textile art. Based in South East London and working from her studio at Cockpit Arts in Deptford, she creates intricate, zero-waste garments and accessories that tell stories of identity and culture through colour, texture, and pattern.

Each piece, handmade on her hand-powered knitting machine, carries the energy of both her past and her present — a celebration of heritage transformed into material. Kemi explores what it means to create with purpose, weaving together memory, culture, and self-expression.

Here is her story, in her own words.

How It Started: Discovering a Love for Knitting

I learned hand knitting while I was at college, and I really enjoyed how you could experiment with it. The properties of knit were just so fascinating to me.

After that, I joined an insights programme at UAL, which led me to study Textile Design at Central Saint Martins. There, I explored printing, knitting, and weaving — but when it came to knit, that’s where I was really having fun.

They really pushed us creatively. I learned how to think outside the box — experimenting, manipulating materials, and discovering what truly worked for me. It made me realise that the creative process isn’t linear; it shifts and evolves. That understanding gave me confidence. I could make mistakes, and sometimes, those mistakes turned into happy ones.

Finding Her Voice: Blending Heritage and Contemporary Design

I spent a year doing internships, which made me more technically aware of the process behind making knitted garments. It also made me realise how important it is to nurture a particular style and develop a creative voice through your work.

It made me think: okay, so what is my identity, and how can I express and celebrate it?

*Above: A recent exhibit at UAL LCC for Black History Month.*

I wanted to push the boundaries of knitwear and speak my own voice through it. Now, my work is all about storytelling and reconnecting with my cultural identity.

I represent my West African heritage, but I view things through a distinctly British lens. My knitwear carries a sense of history and nostalgia, but remains rooted in the contemporary.

Craftsmanship and Techniques: The Art of Handmade Knitwear

I start by gathering primary and secondary images from a range of research materials, visiting exhibitions, looking through books, or taking first-hand photos of areas with strong West African communities. Local markets and cultural hubs provide textures, colours, and patterns that inspire my work. I then generate ideas in a sketchbook and create small knitted swatches to refine my ideas.

*Above: Some of Kemi’s knitted swatches.*

Next, I design the outcome, drafting a toile, testing, and refining it before creating the final piece. Depending on the complexity, this process can take a few days, allowing me to explore how materials, colour, and texture interact.

I like experimenting with punch cards to explore colour compositions and backgrounds. I often blend techniques in my garments and accessories — for example, combining a reversible stitch with stripes to make a tie, adding depth and visual texture. These combinations are inspired by traditional textile layering but with a contemporary approach.

Beading is another key technique. Its intricacy and patience give garments a tactile, sensory quality, letting me explore materiality and colour, and adding a narrative element to each piece. The Braided Sequin Top is a clear example, hand-beaded with stacks of sequins and inspired by traditional West African decorative hairstyling.

Colour Stories: Using Texture and Tone

There’s an element of colour grading in the storytelling, but it’s never too bold or in-your-face. Instead, you can sense subtle transitions and a warmth in the hues, almost like a gentle flow.

I’m very particular about the colours I choose. Over time, I’ve learned that there’s a natural ratio for using colours that’s visually appealing. For example, with stripes, irregular patterns often feel more pleasing than even, uniform blocks.

I've also noticed that too much of certain colors can be overpowering. But if you use it subtly, it kind of makes everything smooth. When it comes to the garments I've made, the colors are calculated in the amount of rows I've used and how I've broken up the colors.

In my garments, I carefully consider the colours I use in relation to the number of rows I’ve knitted and how the hues are distributed evenly throughout the piece.

There are often many colours involved. How I place them is measured, not mathematically, but intuitively. It’s a sense of rhythm and flow that guides the knitting, letting the colours tell their story naturally.

Sustainable Fashion with a West African Soul

The ethos of African textiles is rooted in sustainability. They create extraordinary things from whatever is around them. I draw a lot of inspiration from this, and from artists who share that same spirit.

The Ghanaian contemporary artist El Anatsui, for example, is a considerable influence. He transforms found materials, like bottle caps, into stunning wall sculptures that speak to African heritage. His attention to material, scale, and storytelling — especially seeing his work in a gallery — has really influenced how I think about knitwear, not just as fashion, but as art.

When I create, I start with what’s around me. I collect materials and then ask myself: What can I do with this? How can I transform it into something new?
For instance, I once made a top from electrical cables. I cut them up, turned them into beads, and knitted them into the fabric — transforming the ordinary into something special.

*Above: Top made from electrical cables.*

During an internship, I came across a pile of metal zips that were about to be thrown away, so I took them and started thinking about how I could use them. They eventually became part of a bag design, adding a unique decorative feature — a reminder that contemporary craftsmanship can still reference culture and heritage in fresh, unexpected ways.

I love reusing and remaking materials. I source my yarn from deadstock suppliers, keeping it out of landfills. Giving my work an element of scarcity — most pieces are one-offs, and even when I make several, they’re always limited. It also gives me the freedom to experiment, to keep trying new things, and to discover new possibilities.

I love thrifting and charity shopping, too. Not everything needs to be brand new. Some things are worth buying new, but often it’s more exciting to give an old item a new story — to turn something forgotten into something that feels alive again.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for Timeless, Inclusive Knitwear… and More

My focus has primarily been on fashion and accessories, but I’m now exploring handmade sculptures and art pieces. Experimenting, creating, and sharing these works has been incredibly fun — it’s opened up new ways for me to express ideas beyond the body.

Coming from a sports background, I’m used to constantly pushing myself — training to shave off seconds, staying motivated, and striving for improvement. That mindset translates perfectly into my creative practice: you just have to start, create, and build everything from scratch.

I love the idea of fashion being timeless — crafting unique pieces that are wearable and meaningful. I want people to wear my designs as a form of self-expression. Traditionally, African textiles carry a strong narrative that can sometimes feel limited to specific audiences. With my knitwear, I want to make everyone feel comfortable and confident wearing it, no matter their background.

Each piece tells my story, but once someone else wears it, it begins a new one. That exchange — between maker and wearer — is what excites me most. I’m having so much fun pushing the boundaries of how knitwear is perceived and expanding what it can be.

Ultimately, my ambition is to redefine contemporary knitwear — to set new standards for storytelling in fashion, and to leave a legacy that blends artistry, heritage, and modern creativity.

Kemi’s work will be exhibited at The Hub in Sleaford - 15th November, 2025 to 15th March, 2026.

She’ll also be featuring her latest creations at the Cockpit Open Studios in Deptford, 5th to 7th December, 2025.

Visit her website and follow her on Instagram.

Know someone working with materials in exciting, sustainable ways and/or making a difference in their community through craft? We’d love to feature their story. Get in touch at hello@destasher.co.uk.

Kemi Ajose: West African Heritage in Modern Knitwear