Nina Zhang was born in China, but her story began long before her own first breath. In the late 1970s, her grandmother—once a stage dreamer—swapped scripts for sewing machines as war cast its shadow. In 1979, a divorced mother of four, she launched one of China’s first women-led fashion brands.At a time when such ambition was taboo, she raised her children while helping other women rebuild their lives.This spirit of lifting others shapes Nina’s own journey.

For years, Nina followed the script of a “good” life—prestigious degrees, corporate roles, and supporting others’ decisions. Then, during a visit to Kenya’s Kibera slum, a girl named Veevianah asked her: “What is your life’s hope?” Nina had no answer. But the girl’s own dream—to own a car and take her family to see the world—stayed with her, quietly reshaping everything she thought she knew about success.

In 2022, at 31—the age her grandmother once built a legacy—Nina founded KIBRA. More than an activewear label, it was a promise: to help women everywhere find their strength, define their purpose, and own their worth. Guided by the principle“Prioritize creating value for others,” KIBRA became a meeting point for women who believe that movement can transform not only the body, but the spirit.

One of KIBRA’s earliest designs—a size-adjustable, antibacterial sports bra—took four months to perfect. High costs meant it would never reach the shelves in the way they hoped. So instead, Nina chose a different path: donating the pieces to women who truly needed them, through partnerships with women-led nonprofits.

Today, KIBRA works with organizations across the world, each partnership a stitch in a growing fabric of shared purpose. Every piece is made not only for movement, but for meaning—connecting women across borders and passing strength from one to another.