We’re often asked where the name KAKU comes from. The common assumption is that we combined parts of our first names – Karen & Sue. The true source of the name goes back to Zambia in 2012. Karen was staying with her brother, Chris, and his wife, Juwayhir. Their toddler twins were playing in the living room whilst Karen was busy in the kitchen. Juwayhir said “Karen, I think the twins are calling you”. And there they were, little Rais and Rana, insistently calling “Kaku, Kaku” to get their auntie’s attention.

 

From that day on, Karen became Kaku in the Liebenberg family. It’s seldom that anyone ever calls her Karen unless they’re annoyed with her. When Karen and Sue were mulling on potential names for their clothing range, their graphic designer heard Karen’s nickname and said ‘there you go, that should be the name of your brand’. 

 

Admittedly it’s a name with certain challenges. Let’s face it, no one really knows how to pronounce it (simply put – if you take the Ka from Karen and add Koo to it, you’re pretty much there. If you listen to the audio via the link below, you’ll hear how we pronounce it). On the plus side, it has a Japanese feel to it. We love the simplicity and beauty of Japanese design. Our branding is influenced by that appreciation. 

 

Coincidentally Kaku is a Japanese word meaning to write or describe. The Kaku range provides women with an opportunity to create their style and decide how they would like to be described. The words we often use are feminine, timeless, beautiful and comfortable.