Sauti sol members have the trifecta that any superstar needs to rise to stardom; talent, style and a sex appeal.
Have you ever wondered about the brains behind their polished and super stylish looks? Well, meet Brian Babu.
Brian Babu describes himself as a free thinker and lover of life. His first encounter with Sauti Sol was at the Coke Studio Season 3 where he dressed them for the mash-up with Ice Prince. He then worked with them again in early 2016, assisting renowned fashion stylist Annabelle Onyango, to dress them for their album launch. He would then get called back to work with them for the LADIA tour and as they say, the rest is history.
OMGVoice caught up with Brian to talk more about the process of styling Kenya’s most celebrated celebrities.
Here’s how it went down:
OMGVoice: So who is Brian Babu?
Brain: I am a self-taught fashion stylist and financial economist based in Nairobi. I am a lover of life and free thinker.
OMGVoice: The members of Sauti Sol are mostly very well dressed. Tell us about the styling process.
Brian: There’s no specific process for styling Sauti Sol, it just depends on the show, the crowd and the mood and vibe they want to send. When they need to travel, we organize the looks way in advance so it’s not such a problem. I only travel with them when necessary.
OMGVoice: I see. Now, we gotta talk about the infamous ‘bedsheets’ and ‘fishnet’ outfits that got Sauti Sol trolled for days! Man! Did you style those looks? And what are your thoughts on those two looks?
Brian: I wasn’t working with them but I think those were some dope looks. The looks were quite futuristic which the Kenyan audience might not be familiar with.
OMGVoice: I like the fact that they are not afraid to take risks. I’m curious Brian, celebrities can be very difficult people to work with. How’s it like working with Sauti Sol? Do you sometimes disagree on outfit choices? And what happens in such a scenario?
Brian: It’s always about finding the balance between what I as a stylist want them to wear and what they as the performers are comfortable in on and off stage. At the end of the day, they are the clients and know the vision they have for their image.
OMGVoice: I like that. What’s your most memorable experience working with Sauti Sol?
Brian: Working with them on their nationwide tour. It was such a huge milestone in both of our careers and I was humbled to be given the chance to work on such a big project being a young stylist at the moment.
OMGVoice: What would you say are the pros and cons of being a stylist?
Brian: Pros you get to interact with various individuals at various levels. Cons you’re always under the pressure of being consistent in your work.
OMGVoice: Have you worked with any other local celebrities apart from Sauti Sol?
Brian: Yes I have. I have worked with Dela, Wahu, Atemi, Nameless, Anyiko Owoko, Diana Opoti, Wangechi and Ndegz.
OMGVoice: Oh nice! How about internationally? Whom would you love to style?
Brian: I would say Tinie Tempah. I love his style so much.
OMGVoice: Interesting!!! Can one comfortably make a living from being a stylist alone? Is Kenya/Africa there yet?
Brian: We are not yet there but almost there. You need to be working several jobs to be able to survive off it.
OMGVoice: Any word of advice to young upcoming fashion stylists?
Brian: Go hard or go home.
OMGVoice: Love that mantra! So where can our readers find you?
Brian: They can always holla at me on my socials which is Brian Babu across all social networks.