“Gusa, a Swahili term for ‘touch,’ is what I do best,” says Victoria Kageni-Woodard, owner of Gusa by Victoria in York. Her store has been in its downtown location for a little more than a year, but it was a dream for more than a decade, she says. “Growing up in Kenya, my parents recognized my keen interest in sewing at a very early age. A neighbor introduced me to fashion design, which resulted in me spending a lot of time away from home. My parents invested in a new sewing machine, and I have not looked back since.” She adds, “Through the years, I have continued to hone my skills in creating unique pieces of women’s ready-to-wear clothing. In the face of mass-produced clothing or high-end couture, there is always a need for the working class woman who needs quality, affordable clothing.”
How old were you when you knew you would be a fashion designer? I was nine years old when I visited a neighbor’s home, where I was awestruck by a sewing machine she was using to create beautiful dresses. I went back home, found my mother’s old wedding veil, cut it into pieces, and made my first dress with it.
What do you find most fulfilling in your job? The lasting relationships created between my customers and me. When a customer trusts me to create a clothing item for a special event, a friendship is born out of that interaction. It is almost a spiritual encounter when you are called upon to decipher the essence the customer wants to create through the attire they want made for that special occasion. The ability to create that experience is what gives me the satisfaction in my work.
Where are you from? I am a native of Kenya, born and raised. I lived on a farm during my formative years before I moved to the United States.
Where do you live now? I live in the city of York.
Where did you go to college? I was a student at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia.
Do you speak any other languages? I speak three languages, which is common among many of us who make the United States our home. English and Swahili are Kenya’s two official languages. A third language would be the individual’s mother tongue; for me that language is Kikyuu, since we have over 40 tribes in Kenya.
How long have you been in business? I’ve been in business for a very long time, but my present location is my first storefront.
Go-to favorite beauty item? Garner’s Garden Facial Care System
Is there a particular item of clothing or shoe that you like to wear that you buy over and over in multiple colors? BCBGeneration winter booties and Franco Sarto ankle boots.
What shows are you planning to see this year? I’m planning on seeing the plays Paradise Blue and Esperanza Spalding.
What are you reading? My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family’s Nazi Past by Jennifer Teege and Nikola Sellmair
What’s your Netflix addiction? International movies!
Favorite movie? The African Doctor directed by Julien Rambaldi
Best dish in York? The thali platter at Hamir’s Indian Fusion
What do you do to unwind? Listen to music
Tea or coffee? Kenyan coffee
Salty or sweet? Salty
Most meaningful possession? The last necklace given to me by my mother before she passed away
Family/Pets: No pets. I have two boys and two girls.
What’s one thing people would not guess about you? I used to blow up buildings as a construction contractor.
Who are your style icons? Katiti Kironde and Iris Apfel
My Favorite Things
- Pinstripe shirt: “Pinstripe shirts are always in season throughout the year. This is my interpretation of a great Brooks Brothers shirt. Sharp, clean, and elegant.”
- Fabric:“My heritage comes though in the fabric that announces my ancestral roots in Kenya.”
- Houndstooth skirt: “The British influence still evident in Kenya is what inspired this skirt. Elegance with a powerful statement made by the military style brass buttons. It is the equivalent of a gentleman’s power suit.”
- Coffee mug: “A visual reminder of the huge steps of faith I take each day I walk into the shop to make claim on my dreams on my entrepreneurial journey.”
- “Dainty ‘golden’ embroidery scissors are crucial in helping me deliver an almost perfect clothing item. All stray threads are clipped away using my beautiful miniature scissors. Workmanship is important to me.”
