FASHION

TAKE NOTE: ROUHI

By Ayis Stephen-Diver, 7 October 2024

Welcome to Take Note, our series spotlighting the most-exciting Black-owned brands in the biz. This Black History Month we've teamed up with GUAP, the go-to platform for all things fashion, music and Black culture, to find the trendsetters who are disrupting the fashion scene. Chances are you’ve already seen ROUHI on your FYP, on the streets or on your fave celebs. Read on for a deep dive into the brand with founder Coco.

Coco, founder of Rouhi, wearing a knit grey co-ord set

Picture: Ibrahim Kamara

LAUNCHED: 2020

FOUNDER: Coco the Don

ORIGIN: Suriname

IN THREE WORDS: Textural, vibrant, sculptural

FUN FACT: All of our items are made in the UK

KEY ITEMS: Any of our striped knits

Hi Coco! What makes ROUHI clothing different?
I believe it's the textures, fabrics, vibrant colours, cuts and shapes.

How have you incorporated elements of Black culture into the brand?
We’ve used the red, gold, green and black colour palette that has strong cultural ties to Marcus Garvey's Pan-African movement and Rastafarianism. It symbolises unity, pride, the struggles and aspirations of people of African descent. A notable example is our first viral social media campaign featuring our Zuri shorts. It was also filmed in Brixton, a vibrant area renowned for its rich Caribbean heritage.

Model wearing a mesh multicoloured, striped co-ord set on a red chair

Pictures: Rouhi

The Adaliz blouse and Nenah skirt.

Model wearing multicoloured, striped bralette top and trousers

The Chaia pants would look so good styled with an oversized tee.

What's been the biggest moment for ROUHI so far?
Being spotlighted by Zerina Akers (Beyoncé's stylist) and the Kiowa pants going viral.

As a Black business owner, how have you overcome any challenges you've faced?
One of the main challenges is acquiring the resources. Black businesses are often underfunded and don't have equal access to opportunities and mentorship. I ended up making use of my network for starters, which consists of mostly Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. They were able to guide me.

Coco, owner of Rouhi, wearing black-and-white knit skirt with black top

Picture: Ibrahim Kamara

Coco wears the Toni skirt – we're taking styling notes.

We love your 'fit. Take us through what you're rocking right now?

A lot of the items I'm wearing in this interview are new collection (they're unreleased – I'm just soft launching!) Fun fact: I don't give my collections an actual name, I just call them capsules.

A model wearing a striped sleeveless turtleneck top with purple shorts

Pictures: Rouhi

On our party-season wishlist? The Mya dress and Macy shorts.

Model wearing a floral-print skirt and top set

This Zaira top and skirt >>>

How do you hope to inspire the next generation of Black creatives through ROUHI?
I'm proof that if you want to own a brand, you can. I started by purchasing a few different knitted fabrics and playing around to create different styles. You only need one style that hits for your brand to become known and liked by potential customers. Another thing that helped me separate and stand out was being all-size and body-shape inclusive.

Which other Black-owned brands do you think other women should know about?
Kai Collective and Fumi The Label.

Stay tuned for details on the ASOS | GUAP pop-up event next month, where you can shop ROUHI IRL.