AAKS is a brand of leather goods specializing in the making of raffia bags (textile fiber used in making ropes or upholstery). These creations are made by hand by a women's cooperative in Bolgatanga (northern Ghana), a region where basketry is an art.
The founder, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, has the ambition to show the world the traditional and ethical weaving techniques practiced in this region while developing sustainable jobs.
She wants to promote craftsmanship, perpetuate know-hows, while combining modernity, quality and chic!
The bags are made primarily from eco-friendly raffia harvested from farming families in the region which she mixes with leather, copper or other materials. A natural dyeing process is applied to create seasonal colors.
The designs are unique and tell a different story through the details, colors and shapes.
It takes about a week to make a bag!
Each of the bags bears the signature of the person who made it, testifying the authenticity of its origin.
Akosua Afriyie-Kumi has a long and rich experience in the field of fashion in London, in particular with fashion designers such as Peter Pilotto, Matthew Williamson and William Tempest. She launched her eco-chic brand AAKS in 2014.
She was shortlisted as an emerging African designer by Vogue Italia and has been featured in CNN, Vogue, Elle Décoration, Forbes Woman Africa, Guardian UK, Virgin and Harper’s Bazaar among others.
Today her creations are sold in around sixty boutiques internationally.
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Artistically yours,
Daffa
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