Kenyan designer Ali Abdi, popularly known as Nairobi West Niccur, has denied gifting ODM leader Raila Odinga fake shoes.
On Tuesday, Raila donned trendy Nike Air Jordan sneakers and some of his fans opined that they were fake.
Speaking to Word Is, Abdi said the sneakers are genuine, and he shipped them from overseas.
“I made a special order for him and delivered. The shoes are Nike Air Jordan 1 x off white. That is not fake.”
The youthful designer said he did not initially know he was buying the shoes for Raila as they were ordered by one of the ODM leader's close relatives, who was his loyal customer.
“One day he ordered sneakers that were not his size. He told me to deliver them at their home."
When I got there I was scared, he said he wants me to meet someone special; all over sudden I saw Raila Odinga. We gave him the sneakers and hoodies,” Ali shared.
The Thrift trendy fashion label owner says the shoes cost $100, but there are cheaper brands for his other customers.
He began his fashion label after completing secondary education, with capital drawn from his pocket money.
“I started by hawking clothes and shoes in the streets of Nairobi then I moved to selling them online. I opened my shop at Imenti House in 2019,” he said.
The designer says he has dressed other celebrities in Kenya such as musicians Otile Brown, Khaligraph Jones and MP Babu Owino.
Through Thrift Trendy, Abdi sells shoes, jackets, shirts and fashion accessories such as chains.
