photography by Sharon Jane D

Nsimba Valene is a trend specialist and brand consultant focused on fashion innovation, lifestyle, culture and identity. Her aim is to bring life to new aesthetics and meaningful stories. Her purpose is to encourage companies and brands to have an open mind to stay relevant in a fast changing global world.

She graduated as an international lifestyle professional specialised in trend research and concept design, at the Fontys Academy for Creative Industries. Her creative strategies influenced ground breaking brand innovation for companies such as Vlisco Group bv. 

In 2018, she founded a platform Future of Fashion Africa centred within the creative landscape in Africa, to offer and create a better link with the global industry — sharing insights for those who are interested to create meaningful fashion stories and concepts inspired by or with Africa. In this same year her work has been exhibited in the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, recognised as a fashion innovator within the Dutch landscape. 

As an advocate for diversity and social change, she founded women’s wear brand Libaya, which celebrates untold style stories and women through made in Africa. Her brand is missioned to create a fashion eco-system with local tailors and small business owners across the continent.  

Her work varies from trend research to concept creation, always connecting people, products and places through authentic (visual) stories and creative concepts. Nsimba Valene’s contribution to a more inclusive and divers fashion industry has been internationally acknowledged by renown media such as Vogue, L’officiele, Marie Claire France, I-D magazine and more. 

Work
2018  Freelancer / Creative (fashion) strategist
2017  Libaya / Founder and Creative director
2017  Studio Stories of Near / Founder and Brand director
2014  Vlisco / Trend specialist and Brand developer

Education
2015 Graduated BA Trend research and Concept design,
Fontys Academy for Creative Industries


Diversity / she is  connected to a creative network of
global talent, storytellers and content-creators
between Africa and the West.
Authenticity /  her multi-cultural and bi-lingual
upbringing and experiences  helped her to
develop an inventive and flexible way of working.
Global relevance / She graduated as an
International Lifestyle professional