KILGORIS, Narok – Charlene Ruto has revealed that a last-minute wardrobe crisis nearly disrupted her preparations for her traditional Kalenjin engagement ceremony, forcing her to find a replacement dress just a day before the big occasion.
The First Daughter shared that her original dress did not work out as planned, prompting an emergency intervention by Kenyan fashion brand House of ZIPPY.
In a post shared on her Instagram account, Charlene revealed that the designer managed to create and deliver her first replacement dress within a single day.
“I don’t know how she did it but she delivered my first dress in a day after my original one did not work out,” Charlene wrote.
The revelation came after Charlene’s high-profile Koito ak Chaik ceremony, held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Ruto family’s Intonna Heritage Farm in Kilgoris, Narok County.
Charlene’s post offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the preparations for one of the most talked-about traditional ceremonies of the weekend.
While guests and social media users saw a carefully coordinated celebration, Charlene revealed that her outfit preparations did not go entirely according to plan.
Her original custom-planned dress failed to work out shortly before the ceremony, leaving her with little time to secure another look.
According to Charlene, the Kenyan fashion designer managed to prepare and deliver a replacement gown within 24 hours, an intervention that ensured she had an outfit ready for the ceremony.
The First Daughter expressed amazement at the speed of the turnaround, admitting that she did not know how the designer managed to complete the task in such a short period.
Charlene also revealed that her connection with the designer went back several years. According to her, House of ZIPPY had previously promised to design her wedding dress when the time came.
“Years ago though, she had said she would do my wedding dress and here we are,” Charlene shared.
Charlene thanked the designer for stepping up when her original outfit failed to work out.
“Thank you @houseofzippy for the love and dedication your poured into my koito dress,” she wrote.
Charlene eventually stepped out in a striking floor-length olive-green gown that quickly attracted attention online.
The elegant outfit featured a satin-like finish, fitted long sleeves and a high waistline. The look also incorporated cultural details, including white cowrie shells that added a traditional touch to the modern design.
Images and videos from the event showed Charlene celebrating in the green dress alongside her fiancé, Tanzanian technology entrepreneur Isaya Yunge.
Charlene celebrated her Koito ak Chaik ceremony with Yunge on August 8 in Kilgoris, Narok County.
