00:01Crochet isn't just for grandmas anymore.
00:04In Nairobi, young creatives are turning it into a reason to meet, create and connect.
00:10When I went back to campus, when people would see me crochet,
00:14man, they made fun of me.
00:16They used to give me grandma rules because I could crochet.
00:20Nairobi is loud, busy, always online.
00:24And still, many young people feel alone.
00:27They're connected online, but still looking for places to meet in real life.
00:32For some, that space doesn't start with big ideas.
00:35It starts with yarn and the choice to do something together offline.
00:39I remember when I started crocheting, I saw my mom doing it.
00:43It really fascinated me and it blew my mind.
00:45Now, young Nairobi creatives are giving crochet a completely different meaning,
00:50not just as fashion, but as a reason to gather.
00:53Hooked on Fun is a crochet-based event whereby we get to celebrate crochet artists
00:59and the art that is created from crochet, the amazing outfits that they make,
01:04and just to celebrate fashion in a different form.
01:08For many people here, the appeal isn't escaping the online world.
01:12It's adding something they cannot find there.
01:15You know, as crochet artists, you're just seated on your couch.
01:18You're just crocheting all day.
01:20Sometimes you even have to speak to yourself to remind yourself that you can actually talk.
01:25This is my first time meeting crochet artists.
01:27As a designer, I've always, like, met design of clothes, design of many things.
01:32But at least now, like, specific crochet artists have been, like, amazing.
01:36Creators exchange techniques, discuss pricing, share opportunities,
01:41and help each other navigate the realities of building a creative career.
01:47Most of the conversations is how do we get to become better as crochet artists in this space.
01:53It started with crochet, but what Clara ended up building was community.
01:59You meet like-minded people.
02:01You meet people who you can actually connect with.
02:03You meet people who are going through the same challenges as you are.
02:07So it's more of a community.
02:08We're building a community, a network.
02:10I love the fashion.
02:12And the more it grows, people come bigger.
02:15People do bigger.
02:16They come with beautiful outfits.
02:18So that's really what I love.
02:20For many people here, the craft is only the starting point.
02:24The value is in finding people who understand the journey.
02:28People willing to share what they've learned.
02:31Your theory in class, it's very good.
02:34But getting to apply it out of the classroom is something magical.
02:39It's an amazing space where we get to see all these creatives come together
02:43and showcase all their pieces.
02:45We're so glad that we could be part of it and that we're able to contribute with our yarn
02:49to be able to see these pieces that they're able to create.
02:52So the Robin Makers community, it's basically a community that is there to recognize the people
02:57who use the crochet yarns, all the crochet artists, all these other amazing pieces with yarn.
03:03They are the reason Robin is where it is today.
03:06The spirit of collaboration extends beyond crochet.
03:10The community attracts photographers, artists, musicians and creatives who contribute to the atmosphere.
03:17I don't go out much, so it's nice that my music is taking me out and getting me to see
03:24new environments,
03:25meet new people.
03:27Connecting with people through music is honestly, I feel like sometimes that's the only thing I exist for.
03:34The red carpet is more than a showcase.
03:36It's a celebration of the people behind the work.
03:39The friendships formed, the lessons shared and the confidence built along the way.
03:45I found a group here that is more than family now.
03:49And yeah, it feels like home.
03:51In a city that rarely slows down, spaces like these become more important.
03:56Not because of crochet alone, but because young people are looking for real connection again.
04:01And sometimes that starts with simply sitting together and making something by hand.
