Madam Wokie

2009 to 2018

Madam Wokie is a Sierra Leone based fashion brand and social enterprise  founded by Marynn Kaikai in 2009 to design exclusive, durable and affordable African-inspired garments and accessories. The brands name is inspired by Marynn's maternal great-grandmother, Madam Wokie Massaquoi, one of the few female Paramount Chief’s in post-colonial Sierra Leone. 

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Madam Wokie specialises in producing African inspired bridal, ready-to-wear and bespoke garments. The brand fuses heritage Sierra Leonean aesthetics with elegant modern designs. Having started off with a ready-to-wear line, the brand has expanded to include bespoke tailoring, styling, fashion consultancy, bag, jewellery, footwear and fabric production. 

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Since 2009 Madam Wokie has become well known in the Sierra Leone community and internationally.

Madam Wokie has showcased its collections on various platforms including the Madeng Beach Festival, Sierra Leone; Africa Fashion International Fashion Week in Johannesburg, South Africa; Africa Fashion Week New York; Arise Magazine Fashion Week Lagos; Fashion for Development, First Ladies Luncheon and Fashion Show at the United Nations General Assembly in New York organised by Vogue Italia; Fashion for Relief on the margins of New York Fashion Week organised by Naomi Campbell; and the inaugural Bahamas Fashion Week.

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Madam Wokie has been featured in several media publications such as the BBC World Service, Business Daily; CNN Inside Africa; CNN African voices; Australia ABC Arts,  ESSENCE Online Magazine; The Guardian; Genevieve Magazine; Vogue Italia; Studio 53; Brussels Airlines B There Magazine, The Style Issue; Arise magazine; The Finnish Broadcasting Company, World Politics Everyday; The Tribune Weekend Newspaper, Bahamas; Bahamas National TV show, The Stew; Fashion Bomb Daily; E Life Magazine; Swit Salone; Go Woman Africa Magazine, and New Africa Woman Magazine. 

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Maryann Kaikai has represented Sierra Leone at the Fifty-Ninth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 2015; the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad, India, in 2017; the Commonwealth Fashion Council Exhibition & Reception, New Zealand High Commission in London in 2018; and the  2019 Culture Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The brand has also been worn by Victoria Secret model, Selita Ebanks; Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York; Estelle; Michelle Williams of Destiney’s Child; actress, Gabourey Sidibie;  global Primatologist, Dame Jane Goodall ; and several other notable individuals.

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Maryann Kaikai is the Founder and Creative Director of Madam Wokie. Marynn was born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and spent parts of her formative life in Ghana, The Gambia, Togo and several countries across Africa. She attended The Limount College Secondary School and the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.

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Maryann Kaikai was conferred the Best Designer Award at the Inaugural Youth Excellence Award 2012. Maryann is also the recipient of the NEXTE & HEIRS AFRICA Designer of the Year Award 2015 and 2016, and a nominee for the Summa Cum Laude Award 2017.  In April 2019, Maryann Kaikai was honoured with the Eminence Africa Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to the Sierra Leone fashion industry; and in  August 2019, Mary-Ann Kaikai was listed in the 100 Women West Africa list 2019 for her contribution to the fashion and creative industry in Sierra Leone.  Maryann is passionate about fashion, travel and  the development of the Sierra Leone creative industry. 

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The Madam Wokie showroom is located at Number 14 Syke Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone.