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SYNERGY: Women artisans display fine craftsmanship and design at the fair…
By Thuli Zungu
African women artisans’ convergence at the Handmade Contemporary Fair (HmC Fair), held at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg today and ends on Sunday, is a rare wonderland of craftsmanship.
From fashion, accessories, and homeware, to furniture, foods, wine and all things gorgeous, bespoke and luxury, this year’s HmC Fair is expected to draw scores of visitors over the weekend.
Lesley Hudson, from the organisers HmC Fair, says with over 90 percent of the 100 artisans displaying their craftsmanship and design being women and the fair itself being fully women-run, this event celebrates African women’s creativity and entrepreneurship while showcasing the finest handmade creations from across the continent.
“Our emphasis is on supporting local entrepreneurs who create jobs to access a market that sustains employment through production,” says Hudson, adding that this approach is more sustainable in enabling access to the market. Most of our entrepreneurs record making at least 60 percent of their annual turnover from the three days of the fair.
One of the vendors at this year’s HmC Fair is Fibre Textile Artist, Lerato Motau from Orlando West in Soweto, whose mashangane (bright neon) colours and vivid creations reflect her Tsonga ancestry.
“Despite her dyslexia, Motau obtained a Fine Arts and Teaching Diploma from the Johannesburg Art Foundation,” says Hadson
One of her long-term projects, Friendship Skirts, which she made with the individual characteristics of many of her female friends in mind, have been shown on a documentary in Beijing, and later worn as part of a fashion show in Johannesburg.
Another vendor showcasing her work is Leanne Shakenovsky, whose love for creating jewellery began in her early teens.
Shakenovsky began selling her pieces to friends, family and local boutique stores. Shakenovsky is the visionary behind Leigh Avenue, a design house of handcrafted jewellery also at this year’s HmC, with each Leigh Avenue piece still personally designed and curated by Shakenovsky herself, she says.
“Because we are primarily an online store, I am really looking forward to meeting customers who are excited about our jewellery pieces. Here they will be able to touch, try on and feel textures as well as mix, match and stack bracelets and necklaces”.
Neo Mutuma, is another woman displaying her craft, a craft which tells a story of a giant life pivot.
From the editorial world of publishing in the glossy magazine space to finding a new passion in moulding beautiful things for the home, Mutuma’s lifelong dream to create her own homeware came to life during lockdown in 2020, when she established N.Be.Love, she says.
The vendors include Rayana Edwards the founder of Sari for Change creates beautiful, timeless pieces that are both stylish and socially conscious, with each piece carefully crafted from pre-loved saris, giving them a second life and reducing land-fill waste in the process.
“Last year was the first time we participated at HMC fair. It was a beautiful experience in introducing our brand, very well received and this year we are wishing to grow and build from this and to continuously connect with clients who at this time choose to shop locally and more consciously,” Edwards says.
Keke Moeca, a mother of two and full-time graphic designer, started Belle Togs in 2021. This South African clothing brand is exhibiting and selling their range of dresses, kimonos, sets and accessories at HmC Fair this year, was inspired by the beauty of the human spirit and love for classic style and creates classic and versatile clothing locally crafted with the finest fabrics, she says.
Zulu Mien is a social enterprise started to support rural women artisans, with a group of women makers who create fine African jewellery, each with their own exclusive collections.
Another vendor, Makori Mosiuoa, says dressing to meet one’s dreams with scrumptious sleepwear, satin-smooth, ultra-comfortable and soft to the touch is what Nahla Sleepwear is all about.
Mosiuoa says as a little girl, they couldn’t afford much but her mother always made an effort to buy her a beautiful nightie or a set of pyjamas – it was her love language. This is the essence of why Mosiuoa started Nahla Sleepwear.
Helon Melon founded by Helen Gibbs in 1995. Melon was born out of an idea to service an industry that was limited in product design, style, fabric choice and innovation.
Helon Melon has grown from being a local supplier to being sold in many countries including Italy, Germany, and England. One of Each (South Africa) Cape Town-based
Mangishi Doll from Zambia, says Mangishi Doll was established in 2012 by Zambian Fashion Designer Kapasa Musonda.
A member of the Forbes 30 under 30 List and passionate creative, Kapasa embarked on her fashion journey at age 17, winning a full scholarship to study Fashion Design at FIDM in Los Angeles, California.
In 2012, she returned home to Zambia and began working on the MD label and its first official collection ‘Maganizo’ was released in the Fall of 2016 giving the brand its first International breakthrough. Since then, MD has resonated with different cultures and people around the world and has dressed influencers and celebrities such as Angela Bassett, Susan Kelechi Watson and Vonneta Stewart.
Adele Dejak (Kenya) Adele Dejak is home to luxurious African-inspired jewellery, handcrafted in the heart of Kenya. Their design aesthetic is a strong African Heritage, reinterpreted into modern/contemporary, at times minimal, brand-new shapes.
Mille Collines of Rwanda says The Mille Collines story begins in Kigali in 2008 when the paths of two passionate women crossed: Antoinette, a Rwandan seamstress and Ines, a Spanish design student.
Kigali is known as ‘le pays des mille collines’ which means the land of a thousand hills in French. Ines’ best friend Marc joined her in Rwanda and with Antoinette’s mentorship they created the first apparel collection.
Published on the 114th Edition
