Feature: Chinese fashion setting trends in Kenya

Men compliment her every day for being one of the best dressed females in the office.

Similarly, while her female colleagues compliment her for her dresses and shoes that stand out, many seek to know where she buys them.

Not being someone to be outshined, Victoria Oseno has only revealed to one of her close friends where she buys her unique dresses.

Dresses of the insurance policy marketer with a firm in Nairobi stand out because she has embraced Chinese fashion that many Kenyans are not used to.

She listed some of the clothes she has in her closet in a recent interview with Xinhua. "I have several Chinese collard pencil dresses, black linen pants, blouses with Chinese neck-tops, bags and shoes."

Some of the clothes Oseno buys from a stall in the Nairobi central business district, where the owner is promoting Chinese fashion.

However, as many other clever women who want to stand out from the clutter, the 31-year-old searches for the Chinese clothes on- line, gets what she likes and takes the photo to her tailor to make them for her.

"I have not revealed this secret to anyone but the tailor is in Langata, where I stay. He is very good, and likes my style but he does not know that this is Chinese fashion," said Oseno.

The mother of one is among a growing number of Kenyans who have embraced Chinese fashion as she seeks to be unique at her workplace.

"I decided to embrace Chinese fashion because I wanted to be unique. Many clothes that are won in Kenya are made along the British and American model but after searching on-line, I realized the Chinese have a good style which is why I embraced it," said Oseno.

However, while some Kenyans like her go at great lengths to embrace Chinese style, it is no doubt that many of the East African nation residents are wearing clothes that come from the Asian country.

"The Chinese have taken over the Kenyan fashion industry. While many of us may not exactly put on the Mao jackets or suits, we are basically wearing Chinese style. Shoes, bags, shirts, suits and jackets both for men and women all are made in China," said clothes seller Beatrice Njeri.

Affordable prices of the items sold in clothes shops and supermarkets have made them Kenya's favorite, edging out apparels from Europe and America that once took the pride of place in Kenyan stores.

Prices of Chinese style clothes, bags and shoes for women go from 7.4 U.S. dollars to 58 dollars in many stores in Nairobi. On the other hand, men's shoes, shirts and trousers go for between 11 dollars and 64 dollars.

The popularity of Chinese fashion in the East African nation can be seen on free ad websites, where many people are selling clothes, shoes, bags and jackets having the style or made from the country.

"Red gold Chinese style dress at 22 dollars," reads one of the ads. Two others scream as the list goes on, "Chinese style Trench coats at 16 dollars," and, "Beijing shoes and hand bags at 22 dollars."

Some Kenyan traders buy quality fabric from China and come to sell it in Nairobi to fashion designers.

China has become one of Kenya's biggest development partners, with construction of roads being the main area where the countries are cooperating.

But as Kenyans borrow fashion trends in China, Chinese style is being entrenched in the country. Endi