ABOUT
A mashup of traditional crafts and modern techniques, these classic handbags are adorned with Maasai beading in a workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. When the designer receives an order, she calls on ten Maasai women who set up in the workshop compound where they expertly decorate each handbag strap with more than four thousand beads.
The designer and her small team then assemble the finished product: David cuts the leather pieces, Dorothee and Theresa sew each bag together, Leonard makes the recycled brass hardware across town and Jacob takes care of all the finishing touches. Together, the team completes about five bags a day.
With sustainability in mind, the workshop runs on solar energy three days a week and the cow leather they work with is a byproduct of the food industry.
