A Love Letter to Tunisian Artisans | Kenza Fourati

In this heartfelt episode of The afikra Podcast, Mikey Mhenna sits down with Kenza Fourati, Tunisian model, entrepreneur, and founder of Osei, a brand dedicated to elevating Tunisian artisans and redefining the fashion industry’s relationship with labor and heritage. Kenza reflects on growing up in Tunisia in the 1990s, shaped by French beauty standards and a lack of representation from her own region. She recounts her journey into modeling, navigating a global industry with few role models from the Arab world, and the emotional weight of being the first Arab Muslim woman on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition—a moment that became both a milestone and a burden. Her experience in fashion, coupled with her upbringing in a film-producing household, deepened her awareness of invisible labor—both on runways and in ateliers. This awareness led her to co-found Osei, a brand that centers artisans as co-designers, gives them visibility, and ensures ethical, transparent production. Through personal stories of master craftspeople like Mansour, who passed away, Kenza underscores the urgency of preserving cultural craftsmanship in the face of fast fashion and generational disconnection. She also shares wisdom on navigating identity, community, and creative resilience in a world that often demands erasure.