In the world of athletics, the baton pass represents the most critical moment in a relay race. The success of an entire team hinges on that precise exchange—the veteran runner extending their arm backward while still moving forward, the fresh runner matching their pace before the handoff, both athletes trusting completely in a moment of shared momentum. The baton itself is simple, unremarkable—just a hollow tube of metal or plastic. But in that fleeting exchange lies the difference between victory and collapse, between continuity and broken dreams.
Yesterday evening at iHub, Kenya’s film and costume design industry staged its own relay race. The essential elements were unchanged: seasoned veterans ready to pass on what they had learned, eager newcomers prepared to carry the weight forward, and that crucial moment of exchange where knowledge, wisdom, and responsibility transfer from one generation to the next.
The Opening Runner
Led by Nyathama Wangui’s charismatic voice, the evening began with Michael Nzioki taking the microphone, setting the tone for what would become an evening of profound professional intimacy. Nzioki ended with a reflection on the industry’s technological journey, from sketches done on pen and paper to the current age of artificial intelligence; his observation carried the weight of someone who had witnessed this evolution firsthand.
Nzioki’s opening wasn’t merely nostalgic; it was a call to action wrapped in observation. He emphasized the critical importance of staying current with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, recognizing that while the creative heart remains unchanged, the tools of creation continue to evolve at breakneck speed. His message was clear: adaptation isn’t optional; it’s survival.
The Panelists Take Position
What followed was a carefully orchestrated conversation between industry veterans who had agreed to open their professional diaries to a room full of hungry minds. Dan Kimiti, the wardrobe and fashion stylist whose career had weathered numerous industry storms, sat alongside Fatou Hassan, whose makeup artistry had painted countless faces for screens both large and small. Ms. Catherine brought her corporate perspective from the Kenya Film Commission (KFC), while Isabel Nyamgero served as moderator, each representing different facets of Kenya’s creative ecosystem.
The beauty of their collaboration became immediately apparent. The message
You always learn, you learn through the experiences,”
captures the essential truth that drives every meaningful creative partnership. This wasn’t just professional development; it was the organic process through which
those who are coming up are learning from those who came before.”
The Economics of Passion
Dan Kimiti’s honesty cut through any romanticized notions of creative careers. 
“The pay was not good, but I took the learning process,” he admitted,
His words resonating with every creative professional who had ever chosen experience over immediate financial gratification. His journey from struggling stylist to recognized professional illustrated the industry’s fundamental truth: sometimes the most valuable education comes from the projects that compensate least in currency but are richest in knowledge.
The conversation around compensation grew more complex as the evening progressed. Fatou Hassan noted that
Costume designers and stylists are known in markets such as Toi and the CBD for ‘low budgets,”
while the panel collectively acknowledged the prevalence of “low budget films” that define much of Kenya’s current production landscape.Yet rather than accepting these limitations as permanent fixtures, the panelists offered strategic resistance. Michael Nzioki delivered a powerful declaration:
As creatives, we are selling our creativity. We do not have to stoop low to please producers because, even with a low budget, we still have to deliver big-money quality, which means that the costume designers are the ones who will take the fall.”
This conversation led Ms. Catherine from the Kenya Film Commission to introduce a strategic perspective that elevated the discussion beyond individual career development. She emphasized the importance of drawing boundaries between craft and exploitation, showing how artists can package themselves and their craft in ways that demonstrate they know their worth, addressing the business acumen that many creatives struggle to develop.Her most powerful insight concerned collective action. The panelists agreed unanimously:
Stay together, stay tight-knit—we do it so they don’t play around with us.”
Ms. Catherine emphasized that while
government does not lobby for individuals, it lobbies for groups and associations,”
creative professionals must organize themselves to achieve meaningful industry change.
Mentorship Redefined
Fatou Hassan brought profound insights about the nature of mentorship itself. She emphasized the importance of “learning and holding another person’s hand,” describing mentorship not as mere knowledge transfer but as emotional accompaniment through professional difficulty.
Her observation about generational differences in mentorship styles proved particularly revealing:
Her generation mentored in silence, and therefore Isabelle’s generation needed to take it a notch higher, a different type of mentorship.”
Fatou recognized that while previous generations had learned through observation and inference, today’s emerging creatives required more explicit guidance, more vocal support, and more intentional knowledge sharing. It was a moment of reckoning. The old guard—those who’d learned by watching, by making mistakes in shadows, by figuring it out alone—suddenly faced a room full of people who needed more. Who deserved more.
Her advice to mentees was equally thoughtful:
When being mentored, usikuwe na haraka ya kutoka,” to which Isabelle added, “Don’t be a touch-and-go person, be patient.”
Practical Wisdom for Lean Times
The panel’s approach to budget constraints revealed both pragmatism and creativity. Dan Kimiti suggested practical solutions:
Hire from other costume designers, friends, people who thrift, and tailors.”
However, Isabelle Nyamgero’s interjection provided crucial ethical guidance:
Do not misuse your friends.”
This balance between resourcefulness and respect illustrated the community values that sustain creative industries through difficult periods. The panel recognized that while creative collaboration often involves informal arrangements and favor-trading, professional relationships must be protected from exploitation.
Infrastructure and Independence
The conversation revealed significant gaps in Kenya’s creative infrastructure. Ms. Catherine noted the limited database on costume design, where only three people represented the costume designers, highlighting the urgent need to create comprehensive industry resources.
The discussion extended to supply chain independence, questioning why “makeup supplies and SFX” must inevitably “come from abroad”, a conversation that Isabel Nyamgero had previously explored with Juma Brenda before the inception of The Cinematic Closet event. This wasn’t merely economic nationalism; it was recognition that creative independence requires material independence, that sustainable creative industries need local support systems.
The absence of formal “schools for fashion design” created additional challenges, with some panelists experiencing “burnout from also teaching,” attempting to fill educational gaps through individual effort.
Yet even as they acknowledged these systemic gaps, the panelists ended with some wisdom for the journey. Dan Kimiti, ever pragmatic, encouraged courage despite uncertainty:
Do not be afraid because there are challenges everywhere. Forget the noise and do the best to your capacity.”
Fatou Hassan’s parting words emphasized love for the craft itself:
It’s not easy to be a filmmaker—Jitume, love the job. The space is big enough.”
And Kaveke, offered advice that would serve any creative professional:
Save. Put money aside that will keep you going even after everything.”
The Baton Successfully Passed
What really happened at iHub yesterday evening was simpler and more profound than typical industry networking. It was a conversation between people who understood the specific madness of making beautiful things in difficult circumstances.
No one left with easy answers. The challenges remained: low budgets, limited resources, and an industry still finding its feet. But they left with something more valuable: the knowledge that they weren’t alone in figuring it out. The veterans had opened their playbooks. The newcomers had shown up ready to learn. And somewhere in that room, Kenya’s creative industry had gotten a little bit stronger.
As attendees departed, they carried proof that the relay continues, that the baton had been successfully passed, and that Kenya’s creative industries need not reinvent themselves with each generation.
The cinematic closet had been opened. What spilled out wasn’t just costumes and makeup tips; it was community. The race continues, but no runner runs alone.
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