New Arrivals
Freshly listed artisan products across the Sokofa marketplace.
Explore collections
Crafts
Fante Asafo Flag - Handmade Appliqué Textile, 140 x 85cm
A hand appliqued Fante Asafo flag on cotton, 140 x 85cm. Leopards, an armed company and a Union Jack canton, worked in the traditional Ghanaian manner. Asafo flags, or frankaa, belong to the military companies of the Fante people along the coast of Ghana. Each company had its own, commissioned from a local flag maker, and they were carried at festivals and funerals rather than hung on a wall. They were never decoration. They were statements, and usually pointed ones. Almost every Asafo flag illustrates a proverb, and the proverb is usually aimed at a rival company. That is the convention the imagery here follows: two leopards, a small house, a company of figures marching in file with rifles, and the company number set in a panel. The boast is the point of an Asafo flag, not the animals. The Union Jack in the upper corner places the design in the colonial period. Flags made before Ghana's independence in 1957 commonly carried it, and after independence many makers replaced it with the Ghanaian flag. This one keeps the older arrangement. Appliqué on cotton, which means every element is a separate piece of cloth cut and stitched onto the ground rather than printed onto it. The leopards are worked in a spotted cloth, the figures in solid black, and the whole panel is framed by a sawtooth border in black, white, cream and ochre. The edges are fringed. To be clear about what this is: a contemporary flag made by hand in the traditional manner, not an antique. Genuinely old Asafo flags are extremely scarce and almost all of them sit in museums and private collections. At 140 x 85cm this is a large textile, and it works best hung flat against a plain wall where the appliqué and the fringe can be read properly. Above a bed, down a hallway, or in a room that needs one large warm object rather than several small ones. Care: hang it out of direct sunlight, which fades dyed cotton. Do not wash it. Dust it gently with a soft brush, or a vacuum on low suction through the upholstery attachment, and if it ever needs more than that, take it to a textile conservator rather than a dry cleaner.
£415.00£450.00Sold by GOLDEN HERITAGE AFRICA GALLERY • Cape Coast
Fashion Accessories
Nenye Beaded Top Handle Bag - Handmade Marble & Crystal
A small top handle bag built from overlapping marble effect discs, with a top band and twin handles woven from faceted crystal beads. Seven colours, handmade bead by bead. There are two different pieces of work in this bag. The body is built from flat marble effect discs, each one threaded on individually and overlapped in rows like scales, so the surface shifts and catches light as the bag moves. The top band and both handles are something else entirely: a lattice woven from faceted crystal beads, clear enough to see through. It is small, and deliberately so. It holds a phone, a card holder, a lipstick and a key, which is the entire job of an occasion bag. This is not a bag for carrying things. It is a bag for being seen with. Seven colourways: pink, blue, green, red, brown, chocolate and white. The pink is the one photographed. White is what people order for weddings, and chocolate and brown are the two that work across a year rather than for one outfit. Against a plain dress it becomes the entire accessory. Against a print it fights, so choose one or the other. For its size it photographs far better than it has any right to, which is why it tends to end up in more pictures than the outfit it was bought to go with. Every disc and every bead is threaded on by hand, row by row. A bag this size runs to several hundred of them, which is why each one takes what it takes. Care: beaded bags snag on rough fabric and on jewellery, so keep it clear of knitwear and store it in a dust bag rather than loose in a wardrobe. Wipe it down with a dry soft cloth and never soak it.
£50.00Sold by Prechgold_crafts • Nigeria
Fashion
IcyHot Oversized Crochet Sweater - Geometric Colour Block
A hand crocheted oversized sweater in geometric colour blocks: burgundy, mustard gold, cobalt and powder blue, divided by pale pink and cream. Drop shoulder, made to measure. The blocks are not printed and not machine knitted. Each one is crocheted as its own panel and joined, which is why the borders sit slightly proud of the fields they divide and why the surface has depth you can see in the photographs rather than only feel. IcyHot is a fair description of what it does. Cobalt and powder blue down one side, burgundy and mustard down the other, meeting at the centre. It is the temperature contrast that carries the piece rather than any of the colours on their own. Cut oversized with a drop shoulder, so it hangs off the frame instead of following it. Ribbed crew neck, ribbed cuffs and a ribbed hem pull the edges in, which is the thing that stops an oversized crochet piece from reading as shapeless. Made to your measurements. You send four numbers at checkout, chest, shoulder width, sleeve length and body length, and the sweater is crocheted to those rather than to a standard size. The oversized ease is built in for you, so send your body measurements and nothing extra. It works as the whole outfit. Over a plain polo neck and tights as photographed, over jeans, or as a dress on a shorter frame. Keep whatever is under it plain, because this one is not sharing the attention. Hand crocheted in non-pilling acrylic yarn with a gold cotton thread trim, in a heavyweight textured stitch. Dispatch runs two to four weeks, because a sweater at this size is thousands of stitches worked one at a time and there is no faster way to make one. Care: cold hand wash or a wool cycle inside a mesh bag, and never wring it out. Dry it flat rather than on a hanger, because the weight of wet crochet will pull the body out of shape. Do not tumble dry.
£85.00Sold by OhThreeOhOne • Nigeria
Arts
Adinkra Hene | Original Raffia & Acrylic Canvas, 90 x 90cm
An original mixed media canvas, 90 x 90cm. The Adinkrahene symbol built in coiled raffia rope over layered acrylic in grey, oxide red and gold. Framed. Adinkrahene is the chief of the Adinkra symbols. In Akan tradition it is the one said to have shaped the design of all the others, and it stands for greatness, charisma and leadership. Its form is concentric circles, and that is exactly what has been made here: three rings of raffia rope coiled and laid onto the canvas, so the symbol sits in relief rather than being painted on. The ground behind it is worked in grey, oxide red, ochre and gold, scored and stamped with marks that read as writing without being any alphabet in particular. Two raffia triangles anchor opposite corners. The whole surface carries texture you can see from across a room and feel up close, which is the thing a print of it could never do. At 90 x 90cm square this is a single wall piece rather than one of a group. It wants space around it: above a sideboard, at the end of a hallway, in a stairwell, or opposite a door where you meet it as you walk in. Supplied framed in a natural wood frame, as photographed. One of one. There is no edition and no print run behind it, and once it sells there is not another. The second photograph shows the work on the easel in the studio where it was made, which gives a truer sense of the depth of the rope than a flat photograph can. Care: hang it out of direct sunlight, which fades acrylic and yellows natural raffia over time. Dust the rope with a dry soft brush rather than a cloth, which snags on the fibres. Never use water or cleaning spray on the surface.
£1,477.71Sold by NK Arts & Design • Ghana
Fashion Accessories
Garland Crochet Slides - Beaded Flower Slippers
Handmade crochet slides with a strap of small flowers, each one centred with a faux pearl, set on a leather footbed. EU 36 to 44, made to order. The strap is a garland, which is where the name comes from. A row of crochet petals worked flower by flower, every one finished with a pearl at its centre, and a single smaller flower sitting on the toe ring. It is quiet work rather than loud, which is the whole point of them. Five colours: black, white, red, brown, or custom. Custom means what it says. Tell us the colour you want the twine crocheted in and the pair is made in that colour, which is how these end up matching a wedding party or an outfit nobody else is wearing. The white pair with pearls is a bridal shoe, and it solves a real problem. Something to change into at the reception that still looks like it belongs at the wedding, and what the bridesmaids ask for once it becomes clear the heels are not going to survive the day. Acrylic twine crocheted by hand over a leather footbed. They are made deliberately snug and they ease into shape with wear, so expect them to feel firm on the first day rather than loose. Made to order in EU 36 to 44 by a team of artisans led by Temiloluwa Paul, the founder of Somethin' Nice. Dispatch runs two to four weeks because every pair is crocheted from scratch once you order, not pulled off a shelf. Care: keep the crochet dry and spot clean with a damp cloth rather than washing them. Store them flat so the strap holds its shape, and if they do get wet, let them dry naturally away from direct heat.
£25.00Sold by Somethin' Nice • Nigeria
Fashion Accessories
It-Girl Crystal Beaded Slides - Crochet Slippers
Crochet slides with a wide band covered in glass crystal and seed beads, on a leather insole. EU 36 to 44 in five colours, made to order. Somethin' Nice's best seller. Where the Garland pair is quiet, this one is not. The band is a solid panel of glass crystal and seed beads worked over the crochet, packed close enough that no yarn shows through, so the whole strap moves and catches light as you walk. This is the pair they sell most of, and the reason is the wide single band. No toe post and nothing between the toes, so they go on in one motion, and they suit a foot that a thong strap rubs. Evening rather than daytime. Beaded black against a plain dress does the work of a heel without the walk home afterwards. They carry a reception, a dinner, an owambe, or any long night where the shoes have to last as long as you do. Five colours: black, white, red, brown, or custom. Custom means you name the shade and the pair is crocheted in it, which is how these end up matched to one specific outfit or to a whole wedding party. Acrylic yarn crocheted by hand, glass crystal and glass seed beads sewn on by hand, leather insole. They are made deliberately snug and ease into shape with wear, so expect them to feel firm on the first day rather than loose. Made to order in EU 36 to 44 by a team of artisans led by Temiloluwa Paul, founder of Somethin' Nice. Dispatch runs two to four weeks because every pair is crocheted and beaded from scratch once you order. Care: the beads are sewn rather than glued, but they will snag on rough fabric, so keep them clear of knitwear and store them flat. Spot clean with a damp cloth rather than washing, and let them dry naturally away from direct heat.
£30.00Sold by Somethin' Nice • Nigeria
Crafts
Ivory Reef - Cowrie Shell & Pearl Handmade Handbag
An occasion bag covered entirely in cowrie shells, pearls, small seashells and beads, in ivory and pale cream, with a curved top handle. Handmade one at a time. There is no plain surface anywhere on it. The body and the handle are worked over completely with cowries, pearls in three sizes, small scallop and conch shells, bugle beads and tiny fabric bows, so the whole thing catches light the way the inside of a shell does rather than reflecting it flatly. Ivory, pearl and shell is a wedding palette, and that is where this bag earns its keep. It suits a bride who wants something other than a satin clutch, a bridesmaid, a mother of the bride, or any white tie or all white event where everyone else will be carrying something bought off a shelf. The cowries are not there as a seaside motif. Cowrie shells circulated as currency across West Africa for centuries, and they still carry associations of wealth and abundance, which is why they appear on ceremonial dress, crowns and bridal pieces rather than on everyday things. A bag covered in them is saying something specific, and it is not nautical. Every shell and bead is placed by hand, one at a time. That is why dispatch runs to two to four weeks and why no two bags are laid out identically. The maker's own words for it: someone sat down, created, corrected, adjusted, and poured their craft into something you can carry. Message us before ordering if you need the exact outside measurements, the handle drop, or what the bag holds, and we will measure the one going out to you. Care: shells and pearls chip if they knock against a hard surface, so store it in a dust bag with nothing stacked on top of it. Keep it away from perfume and hairspray, which dull the finish, and never let it get wet.
£83.00Sold by Mlumun • Lagos, Nigeria
Fashion
Red & Navy Butterfly Bubu - NAISH African Print Maxi Gown
The NAISH Signature Butterfly Bubu is a statement African-print maxi gown designed for effortless elegance, comfort and contemporary African style. Featuring a striking red and navy colour palette, the flowing butterfly silhouette creates a graceful, dramatic shape while allowing comfortable movement. Carefully placed patterned panels add visual contrast and give the design its distinctive NAISH character. This piece is made to order in Nigeria. The original design was created for a client and can be recreated when you place your order. Perfect for: Weddings and wedding receptions Owambe and traditional celebrations Church and special occasions Birthdays Cultural events Dinner and evening occasions Resort and holiday wear Details Signature butterfly Bubu silhouette Red and navy African print Relaxed, flowing fit Full-length design Made to order in Nigeria Designed for comfort and statement dressing Fabric: African print / Ankara Colour: Red, navy blue and multicolour patterned accents Origin: Nigeria Please note: Because this garment is made to order and African-print fabric is cut individually, the exact placement of motifs may vary slightly from the original photographed piece. The overall design, colour palette and signature details will be maintained.
£75.00£85.00Sold by Naishdesign • Nigeria
Fashion
Men's Navy Senator Wear - Made to Measure
A navy senator wear for men: a long sleeve mandarin collar top with a concealed placket and a buttoned chest pocket, with matching trousers. Cut to your own measurements. Senator wear is what a man reaches for when the occasion is serious but a suit would be too much. Formal without being borrowed from somewhere else, which is why it turns up at weddings, in church, at meetings and at every celebration in between. This one is cut clean and close rather than flowing. Mandarin collar, half placket with the buttons concealed, a single chest pocket with a buttoned flap, long sleeves, straight matching trousers. There is no embroidery anywhere on it, and that is the point. The fit and the cloth do the work, so it reads as modern rather than ceremonial. Navy is the one to own first. It carries a wedding and a Monday morning equally well, it photographs better than black under indoor light, and it does not fight whatever cap, shoes or beads you put with it. Made in what the trade calls cashmere senator fabric, the soft brushed suiting cloth this style is usually cut from. In the photographs it hangs with a clean line rather than clinging, which is what you want in a fitted senator. Sizing: there is no size chart here, because there are no sizes. You send seven measurements at checkout, each with a short guide on how to take it, and the outfit is cut to those numbers rather than made to a standard size and altered afterwards. That is why a senator cut this close holds its line across the shoulders and through the waist, which is where an off the peg one usually goes wrong. Wear it with leather loafers or a monk strap, and a cap if the occasion asks for one. Nothing else needs adding. Care: dry clean, or cold hand wash and hang to dry out of direct sunlight. Press inside out on a medium heat to protect the finish on the cloth.
£40.00Sold by Elvis fashion fabrics • Nigeria
Arts
Nwannem | Signed Limited Edition African Art Print
A signed, numbered limited edition print of Nwannem, a pastel and charcoal portrait of two siblings by Chinemelu Ofoma. Unframed, 42 x 60cm. Nwanne is Igbo for sibling. The literal sense is child of my mother, and nwanne m is my sibling. That is the whole picture: an older child holding a younger one, both wrapped into the same length of cloth, one looking at something outside the frame and the other looking straight at you. The original was worked in pastel and charcoal against a black ground, which is why the skin carries so much light. Ofoma builds the faces up in layers and leaves the wax print cloth loose and painterly underneath, so the two children are the only sharp thing in the picture and everything else falls away. The original sold in February 2020 and is in a private collection. This print is the only way the image is still available. It is one of a limited edition of 50, each print signed and numbered by the artist. Once the fifty are gone the edition closes and no more are made. Supplied unframed at 42 x 60cm, which is standard A2, so it fits an off the shelf frame without a trip to a framer. The second photograph shows the image framed on a wall, to give you the scale in a real room. It suits a hallway, a landing, a child's room, or anywhere a house needs a face in it. It reads as African without being decorative about it, which is not easy to find in a print at this size and price. Care: keep it out of direct sunlight, which fades pigment prints over time, and frame it behind glass rather than leaving it open to the air. Handle the sheet by the edges before it is framed.
£99.00Sold by Chinemelu Ofoma • Lagos
Fashion
Men's Mustard Two Piece Set - Made to Measure
A mustard yellow two piece set for men: a short sleeve collared shirt with chest pockets and a buckled strap detail, worn with matching wide leg trousers. This is a full look rather than two separate garments. Shirt and trousers are cut from the same cloth in the same colour, which is the whole appeal. Nothing to match, nothing to think about, one decision instead of two. Mustard is the point. It is a colour most men skip because they assume it will be loud, and it turns out to be the opposite. It reads warm rather than bright, it sits well against dark skin, and it holds up in daylight where a neutral just goes flat. The shirt has a flat collar, a half placket, chest pockets and a buckled strap across the front, so there is something to look at without a print doing the work. The trousers are cut wide and long through the leg. The whole set is loose rather than fitted, which is what makes it wearable in heat. Where it works: Sunday, a hangout, travel, a shoot, an outdoor event, anywhere between smart casual and streetwear. With slides as photographed, or with white trainers or a loafer if you want to lift it. Sizing: there is no size chart here, because there are no sizes. You send seven measurements at checkout, each with a short guide on how to take it, and the set is cut to those numbers rather than made in a standard size and altered afterwards. The loose, oversized room is built in for you, so send your body measurements and nothing extra. Each set is cut and sewn one at a time, so measurements move by a centimetre or two between pieces. Care: cold machine wash inside out, hang to dry out of direct sun, press on a medium heat. Wash separately for the first two or three washes, as strong colours can bleed.
£152.00£163.00Sold by BRIGHT EMPIRE • New york
Fashion Accessories
All Black Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece beaded set in solid black with gold tone fittings. No banding, no pattern, just the beadwork and the weight. Necklace, three bracelets and earrings. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. Every other set in this range is built on colour. This one is not. There is no banding and no pattern anywhere on it, and that changes what it actually is. Not African beadwork that happens to be black, but a piece of black jewellery that happens to be beaded. That is a practical difference rather than a poetic one. Colour decides where a piece can go. This has none, so it goes anywhere: a funeral, a board meeting, an evening event, or an ordinary day when you want the scale without the statement. It is the only set here you could wear five days running without anyone clocking it as the same necklace. With the colour taken away, the work shows in two other places. The beadwork has a texture that catches light in a way flat black never does, and the collar has real scale to it. The gold tone caps and clasp are the only break in the black, and they are what stop it reading as plain rather than deliberate. The necklace is worked in multiple beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings repeat the same beadwork, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu. Every strand is worked bead by bead, so the strands are never quite identical in thickness and no set matches the photographs exactly. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Purple Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set on lilac purple, with yellow sawtooth points and bands of orange, green, turquoise and yellow. Necklace, three bracelets and earrings. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. Purple is close to unheard of in this kind of beadwork, and lilac more so. The traditional palette runs to red, blue, green, white and black, so a pastel ground like this is a modern choice rather than an old one. That is the reason to buy it. Almost nobody else will be wearing one. It behaves differently from the rest of the range too. Every other set puts bright colour on a strong ground, so the whole piece pushes forward at you. Lilac pulls the other way. The bands still carry orange, green and turquoise, but they sit on something gentle, so this reads as decorative rather than as a statement you have to commit to for the whole evening. The points are picked out in yellow here rather than black, which is unusual. Most of the beadwork in this range uses black to cut the ground. This one uses yellow, so the sawtooth reads as a warm flare instead of a hard edge. It sits well with white, cream, grey, denim and the softer summer colours. Against hard black it loses the point of itself. The necklace is worked in multiple beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beads in the same colour order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu, so the spacing of the points and the colour bands varies slightly from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Pale grounds mark more easily than dark ones, so put the set on last and take it off first. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Red Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set in red, with white sawtooth points and bands of blue, orange, yellow and green. Necklace, three bracelets and earrings. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. If Maasai beadwork has a home colour, it is this one. Red dominates Maasai dress and it is the shade most associated with the culture the work comes from. Every other set in this range is a variation on the idea. This is the one that sits closest to the source. It is also the loudest piece here, and it is meant to be. Red at this scale does not accompany an outfit, it decides one. That makes it the wrong choice for an ordinary work day and exactly the right one for a wedding, a naming ceremony, a birthday, or anywhere a photograph is going to be taken. The points are worked in white rather than black, so they flare against the red instead of cutting it. Inside them run bands of blue, orange, yellow and green, each one separated by black. It wants a plain ground and nothing competing with it: white, cream, black, or traditional dress cut in a single colour. Do not put it over a print, because one of the two will lose and it will not be the necklace. The necklace is worked in multiple beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beads in the same colour order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu, so the spacing of the points and the colour bands varies slightly from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Royal Blue Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set in royal blue, with orange sawtooth points and bands of red, turquoise and yellow. Necklace, three bracelets and earrings. Includes one three strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. This set does something none of the others can. Royal blue is deep enough and saturated enough to hold its own against a print. Every other piece in this range wants a plain ground under it, because a pattern underneath turns the beadwork into noise. This one sits over Ankara, adire or a bold wrapper and still reads clearly. For anyone whose wardrobe is mostly print rather than mostly plain, which is most people who buy African fashion, that is the whole argument. The points are worked in orange against the blue, with bands of red, turquoise and yellow inside them and dark navy separating each one. Orange against royal blue is the hardest working pair in the range. They sit at opposite ends of the colour wheel, so each one makes the other look stronger than it would alone. It carries a wedding, church, a birthday, a shoot or an ordinary Saturday. Blue is the one colour almost nobody looks wrong in, which also makes it the safest of the bright sets to buy for someone else. The necklace is worked in three beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beads in the same colour order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu, so the spacing of the points and the colour bands varies slightly from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Yellow Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set in bright yellow, with red sawtooth points and bands of white, turquoise and orange. Necklace, three bracelets and earrings. Includes one three strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. Yellow is the colour the human eye finds first. That is not a marketing line, it is the reason safety equipment everywhere is that shade. Worn at this scale it means you are what people see when they walk into a room, and what stands out in the group photograph afterwards. So this is a celebration piece rather than an everyday one. A wedding, a graduation, a naming ceremony, Easter, a launch, anywhere being noticed is the point rather than the risk. If you want beadwork that goes quietly about its business, look at the black or the navy sets instead. The points are worked in red against the yellow, with bands of white, turquoise and orange inside them and black separating each one. Red on yellow is the highest contrast pairing in the whole range, which is why this set still holds its shape at a distance where softer colours blur into one another. Wear it over white, cream, black or denim. Yellow needs space around it, so keep everything else plain and let the set do the work. The necklace is worked in three beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beads in the same colour order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu, so the spacing of the points and the colour bands varies slightly from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Bright yellow shows marks more readily than a dark ground, so put the set on last and take it off first. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
African Rasta Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Rasta beaded set in black, banded with yellow, red and green and finished in gold tone. One necklace, three bracelets and a pair of earrings. Includes one three strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. Five pieces, which is two more than most beaded sets at this price. The colour does not sit in straight bands here. The yellow runs into the black in a flame edge, sawtooth points that break the line where the two meet, with narrow red and green stripes laid across the yellow. It is a harder thing to bead than a straight band, and it is the reason this one does not read like every other black beaded necklace. Black carries the red, gold and green rather than competing with them, so the Rasta colours read as deliberate rather than costume. That is what makes this one wearable on an ordinary day as well as at carnival, a reggae night, a birthday or Africa Day. Against plain black, white or denim it does all the work on its own. The necklace is worked in three beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone lobster clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beads in the same colour order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set rather than five things that happen to match. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Every strand is strung and bound by hand in Kiambu, so the spacing of the flame points and the colour bands varies slightly from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Green Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set in bright green, banded with yellow, white, red and blue against black and finished in gold tone. Necklace, bracelets and earrings. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. Green is the colour almost nobody makes beaded jewellery in, and that is the reason to buy this one. Red, black and white sets are everywhere. A saturated grass green is not, so this reads as a specific choice rather than a default. It is also the fullest piece of Maasai colour work in the range. The green is broken by black sawtooth points, and inside them run bands of yellow, white, red and blue, each one separated again by black. That is the whole palette rather than an accent or two, which is why the set carries an outfit on its own. It wants a plain ground to sit against: white, cream, black, denim, or traditional dress cut in a single colour. Put it over another print and the two fight. The necklace is worked in multiple beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beads in the same colour order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu. The sawtooth points are counted out bead by bead rather than measured, so their spacing shifts a little from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Navy Blue Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set in navy blue. One multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and a pair of drop earrings, strung by hand in Kiambu. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. Navy is the one you can wear to work. The rest of this range is built to be seen from across a room, which is exactly right for a wedding and exactly wrong for a Tuesday. Navy does the opposite. It reads as jewellery rather than as an occasion, so it sits with a suit, a plain shirt or a dark dress without announcing itself before you do. It is also the easiest piece in the range to wear if you are new to beadwork. Navy sits close enough to black that the shape and the scale register before the colour does, so a collar this size stops feeling like a leap and starts feeling like a good necklace. The necklace is worked in multiple beaded strands and fastens at the back with a clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beadwork in the same order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set rather than five things that happen to match. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu. Every strand is counted out bead by bead rather than measured, so the beadwork shifts a little from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Orange Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set on bright orange, blocked with turquoise, blue, red, green and white against black. Necklace, three bracelets and earrings. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. Orange is the only warm ground in this range. Everything else is built on black, white, navy or green, and those are all colours that sit back. Orange comes forward. It reads as sunlight rather than as formalwear, and it lifts a face instead of framing it. The colour is blocked here rather than banded. Squares of turquoise, royal blue, red, green and white are stacked across the strands and separated by black, so the pattern reads as a chequer laid over the orange rather than as stripes running round it. The blocks stagger slightly from strand to strand, which is what stops a piece this bright from looking printed. It does its best work on plain and warm: cream, tan, brown, white, denim, or a wrapper cut in a single colour. Against hard black it fights rather than sits, so if black is most of your wardrobe the navy set is the better buy. The necklace is worked in multiple beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same blocks in the same order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu. Each block is counted out bead by bead, so no two sets line up identically and none of them match the photographs exactly. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion
Green & Gold Ankara Blazer Dress - Made to Measure
A tailored Ankara blazer dress in green and gold African print, cut to your own measurements. Above the knee, long sleeves, lapel collar. This is African print built for a room where you have to be taken seriously. The blazer construction does the work: a sharp lapel, a defined shoulder and a clean line through the waist, so the print reads as deliberate rather than loud. It is the difference between wearing Ankara and wearing a suit that happens to be Ankara. The cloth is a gold ground crossed with bands of bright green, with small blocks of pink and lilac set inside the bands and a visible weave to the surface. It is warmer and busier than a thumbnail suggests, and that is the point. It photographs well and it holds its colour under office lighting, which is where most print dresses fall down. Where it works: the office, church, a conference, a graduation, a registry wedding, a product launch or a shoot. Anywhere you want to be the most composed person in the room without defaulting to black. Style it the way it is shot: a plain court shoe and one good gold chain. The dress carries the pattern, so the jewellery only has to pick up the gold in the cloth rather than compete with it. Sizing and fit: there is no size chart here, because there are no sizes. You send six measurements at checkout, each with a short guide on how to take it, and the dress is cut to those numbers rather than made in a standard size and taken in afterwards. That is why it holds its line through the shoulder and the waist, which is the part an off-the-peg blazer almost always gets wrong. Each dress is cut from a length of Ankara by hand, so the exact placement of the print across the panels varies from one piece to the next. No two are identical. Care: cold hand wash or a gentle machine cycle inside out, hang to dry out of direct sun, and press on a low heat on the reverse to keep the print sharp.
£33.50Sold by Eden Rivers Clothings • Nigeria
Fashion Accessories
Turquoise Maasai Beaded Necklace, Bracelets & Earrings Set
A five piece Maasai beaded set in turquoise blue with black sawtooth points and bands of yellow, white, green and red. Necklace, three bracelets and earrings. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, three matching bracelets and one pair of drop earrings. If you pictured Maasai beadwork before you opened this page, this is probably close to what you saw. Turquoise against black is the pairing the work is known for, and it is the one that reads as Maasai from across a room instead of needing to be explained. It is also the easiest of the bright sets to wear outdoors. Turquoise holds its colour in daylight where deeper shades flatten out, so it photographs well and it sits over denim, white linen or cream without any effort at all. This is the summer and holiday piece in the range. The blue is broken by black sawtooth points, and inside them run bands of yellow, white, green and red. The points are counted out bead by bead rather than measured, which is why the teeth are never quite even and why the piece looks made rather than manufactured. The necklace is worked in multiple beaded strands and fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short extender chain, so you can set it high on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelets and earrings carry the same beads in the same colour order, which is what makes five separate pieces read as one set rather than five things that happen to match. Wear the necklace with a single bracelet for everyday, or all five pieces when you want the full effect. Strung and bound by hand in Kiambu, so the spacing of the sawtooth points and the colour bands varies slightly from set to set and from the photographs. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£40.00£45.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Arts
Bound by Silence | Large Original Pastel Portrait Drawing
Bound by Silence looks at how readily we stay quiet. Our eyes have seen what is wrong. Our ears have heard what demands attention. Our conscience already knows that something has to be done. And still the answer is silence. The piece asks what happens when seeing and hearing are followed by nothing, and how a refusal to speak lets the wrong thing carry on unchallenged. It is an invitation to look at the silences we keep, in our own lives and in the society around us, and at the responsibility that comes with what we have already seen and heard. Change usually begins at the moment somebody decides to speak. Worked in soft pastel on board, at greater than life size. About this piece Medium: soft pastel on chip board Size: 36 x 49 inches, approximately 91 cm x 124 cm Subject: figurative portrait, contemporary Nigerian art Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print Care: frame behind glass, keep out of direct sunlight, and do not touch the surface. Pastel is unfixed and will lift.
£560.00£600.00Sold by Ay's Pencils art gallery • Nigeria
Arts
OMU | Large Original African Woman Painting, 4 x 6 ft Framed
My face has seen the smiles. My back has seen the truth. This back has carried more than my face ever has. That is where OMU came from. She stands turned away from you and the wall behind her breaks open into colour. She is for anyone who has been talked about, underestimated, rejected or hurt behind their back, and who is still standing. At 4 by 6 feet she is not a piece you hang and forget. She holds a wall on her own. About this piece Medium: original acrylic on canvas Frame: black floating frame, included Size: 4 ft x 6 ft framed, approximately 122 cm x 183 cm Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print Care: dust gently with a dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight Commissions The artist takes commissions. Message the seller if you would like a piece in this spirit made for your own space.
£225.00£280.00Sold by Anniexcraft • Imo
Fashion
African Print Headband for Women | Yellow Ankara Head Wrap
Handmade in limited numbers. Every headband is cut from a different part of the cloth, so no two come out exactly the same. This adjustable headband is made from yellow African print cotton with a bold geometric motif. It holds your hair back without pulling, and it finishes an outfit at the same time. Made for natural hair, curls, coils, braids, locs and protective styles. Wear it forward as a head wrap, or pushed back as a wide headband. Good for everyday wear, work, weddings and naming ceremonies, festivals, photoshoots, and as a gift for someone who wears her heritage. Details Fabric: 100 percent cotton African print (Ankara) Fit: adjustable at the back Sizes: S fits a child, 48 to 52 cm head. M fits a teen, 52 to 56 cm. L fits an adult, 56 to 60 cm How to measure: take a tape around your head just above the eyebrows and around the fullest part. If you fall between two sizes, choose the larger Flat measurement: 26 cm x 15 cm Handmade, limited edition Every order includes a small surprise freebie Care Hand wash cold, reshape and dry flat. Warm iron on the reverse if needed. Please note Print placement varies slightly from piece to piece because each headband is cut by hand from a continuous length of fabric. That variation is what makes yours yours.
£28.00Sold by BlowUp • Portugal
Arts
African Batik Wall Hanging | Handmade Village Scene Textile Art
A village scene in wax resist dye on cotton, made by hand in Mozambique. Figures carry pots across a yellow ground, drawn in the long limbed style of the region. The fine veining you can see running through the colour comes from the batik process itself. Wax is laid down, the cloth is dyed, the wax is cracked on purpose, then dyed again. Those cracks are the reason no two panels are ever the same, and the reason this one cannot be repeated. Hang it on its own, or collect several and hang them in a row so the scenes read as a sequence. It also works mounted on backing fabric, stretched over a frame, or set under glass. Details Technique: wax resist batik, hand dyed Fabric: cotton Size: 19 cm wide x 28 cm high Made by hand in Mozambique One of a kind. There is one of these and there will not be another Every order includes a small surprise freebie Care Do not wet. Do not bleach. Keep out of direct sunlight so the dyes hold their depth.
£35.00Sold by Mozambique Crafts • Mozambique
Arts
Before We Learned to Worry | Original African Portrait Painting
Before we learned to worry, happiness was not a performance. There was a time when joy did not have to be earned, and an open heart was never too much. We ran because our legs could carry us, not because we were running from something. We laughed and we loved without bracing for disappointment. This portrait sits with that loss. It looks at the crossing from a carefree childhood into the complicated business of being an adult, and it quietly mourns the version of ourselves that existed before fear and anxiety became daily company. The face is built from hand painted blocks of colour, a pixel mosaic that only resolves into a girl once you step back, the way memory does. About this piece Medium: acrylic paint on hand cut oval canvas Subject: portrait of a young African girl, contemporary African art Size: 20.32 cm W x 30.48 cm H x 2.54 cm D (8 x 12 x 1 inches) Series: one of six original works from the Kilomode Mo miniature series Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print or a reproduction Care: dust gently with a dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight
£150.00Sold by Rewa Aesthetics • Oyo state
Arts
Joy Without a Permit | Original African Girl Portrait Painting
Joy without a permit. My toddler niece inspired this portrait. There is something about her that makes me question whether I could ever hold a heart like hers. She never asks whether it is acceptable to laugh, to dance, to cry or to dream. She simply does her thing. That sits uncomfortably with me. I catch myself asking why we are laughing when nothing about the present day is funny, and I still tell myself that crying is a sign of weakness. I wish there were another chance to be as unapologetically free as a child, free from restraint, from overthinking, from too much self consciousness. A time when everyone gets to feel joy without needing validation or permission. Her face is built from hand painted blocks of colour, a pixel mosaic that only settles into a girl once you step back. About this piece Medium: acrylic paint on hand cut oval canvas Subject: portrait of a young African girl, contemporary African art Size: 20.32 cm W x 30.48 cm H x 2.54 cm D (8 x 12 x 1 inches) Series: one of six original works from the Kilomode Mo miniature series Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print or a reproduction Care: dust gently with a dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight
£150.00Sold by Rewa Aesthetics • Oyo state
Arts
The Lost Art | African Girl with Braids Portrait Painting
The lost art. "In my niece's world, life is less about perfection and more about presence." One day my niece stood in front of one of my paintings. Unlike most adults, she never asked about the inspiration, the meaning or the technique. She was simply captivated by the colour. For her, that was enough. That is the art we lose on the way to becoming adults. The ability to look at something and let it be beautiful without first demanding that it explain itself. This portrait is painted for that kind of looking. Her face is built from hand painted blocks of pink and violet, a pixel mosaic that only settles into a girl once you step back. About this piece Medium: acrylic paint on hand cut oval canvas Subject: portrait of a young African girl with braided hair, contemporary African art Size: 20.32 cm W x 30.48 cm H x 2.54 cm D (8 x 12 x 1 inches) Series: one of six original works from the Kilomode Mo miniature series Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print or a reproduction Care: dust gently with a dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight
£150.00Sold by Rewa Aesthetics • Oyo state
Arts
The Child I Left Behind | African Child Portrait Art on Canvas
The child I left behind. Growing up is inevitable. The stranger thing I did was leave the child in me uncared for. This piece looks at the pursuit of maturity and the child I sacrificed for it. It asks me why I hardened my heart just to prove a point, and it catches me mid thought, wishing I could go back and smile that broadly again, to wonder, to play, to hope in the purest form of innocence. Her face is built from hand painted blocks of green and ochre, a pixel mosaic that only settles into a child once you step back. About this piece Medium: acrylic paint on hand cut oval canvas Subject: portrait of a young African child, contemporary African art Size: 20.32 cm W x 30.48 cm H x 2.54 cm D (8 x 12 x 1 inches) Series: one of six original works from the Kilomode Mo miniature series Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print or a reproduction Care: dust gently with a dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight
£150.00Sold by Rewa Aesthetics • Oyo state
Arts
The Last Time It Felt Like Home | Small Original African Painting
The last time it felt like home. Childhood was the last time life felt like home, a place safe enough to exist in without pretending. This piece is my quiet grief for growing older. I watched myself change, leaving fragments of my childhood behind with each passing day while carrying the ache of everything I was becoming. It caught me in the middle of a lifelong search for the emotional home we unknowingly left behind. A place where we once felt whole, safe, and free enough to simply exist. Her face is built from hand painted blocks of coral and blue, a pixel mosaic that only settles into a girl once you step back. About this piece Medium: acrylic paint on hand cut oval canvas Subject: portrait of a young African girl, contemporary African art Size: 20.32 cm W x 30.48 cm H x 2.54 cm D (8 x 12 x 1 inches) Series: one of six original works from the Kilomode Mo miniature series Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print or a reproduction Care: dust gently with a dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight
£150.00Sold by Rewa Aesthetics • Oyo state
Arts
Can We Go Back? | Contemporary Nigerian Portrait Painting
Can we go back? If there is one thing this series has taught me, it is that there is a way through, even when the way is away. Adulthood took the freedom, the genuineness, the willingness to love without guarding myself. And still I found I could begin again. I learned that I could enjoy my childhood a second time, now, as a grown man. This piece pushed me to soften my heart, to make room for the childlike part of myself again, and to let the world be nothing more complicated than colour. Her face is built from hand painted blocks of blue and coral, a pixel mosaic that only settles into a girl once you step back. This is the final piece in the series of six. About this piece Medium: acrylic paint on hand cut oval canvas Subject: portrait of a young African girl, contemporary Nigerian art Size: 20.32 cm W x 30.48 cm H x 2.54 cm D (8 x 12 x 1 inches) Series: one of six original works from the Kilomode Mo miniature series Edition: original, one of one. This is not a print or a reproduction Care: dust gently with a dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight
£150.00Sold by Rewa Aesthetics • Oyo state
Fashion
Black 3D Rose Mermaid Evening Dress
Strapless black crepe mermaid gown with oversized white 3D rose appliques, handmade to your exact measurements. This floor length black evening dress is cut close through the bust, waist and hip, then flares into a dramatic mermaid train that sweeps behind you as you walk. The structured straight neckline holds its shape without straps, and the sculptural white fabric roses run from the hip down one side of the skirt, giving the silhouette its signature contrast. It is made in a mid weight crepe that drapes cleanly, resists creasing and photographs well under flash and studio lighting. A natural pick for prom night, a birthday photoshoot, a wedding reception or second dress, an engagement shoot, a gala or an awards dinner. Every piece is cut and sewn to order. Choose custom tailoring at checkout and send your bust, waist, hip, shoulder and length measurements so the fit is yours alone.
£38.00Sold by A.D.A couture &collections • Ogun
Fashion
Black Fringe Racer Neck Maxi Dress
Fitted black maxi dress with a high racer neck and a cascading white fringe skirt, made to your measurements. The bodice is cut close and sleeveless, with a high racer neckline that keeps the shoulders and arms clean and draws the eye up. From mid thigh the silhouette breaks into a full curtain of white fringe that moves as you walk, which is what gives a plain black column its whole personality. It is made in a structured crepe that holds a body skimming shape without clinging, in a two tone black and white palette that takes almost any accessory. Wear it to brunch, a gallery opening, a birthday dinner, a wedding guest slot, or to the office with a blazer over the top. Every piece is cut and sewn to order in your own measurements, so the bodice sits where it should and the fringe finishes at the right length for your height.
£20.00Sold by A.D.A couture &collections • Ogun
Fashion
Ankara Ruffle Ball Gown - African Print Mother and Daughter Dress
A multicoloured Ankara ball gown with a yellow organza ruffle neckline and a full skirt built layer on layer, each tier cut from a different African wax print so no two rows repeat. The bodice is fitted and structured, the ruffle sits off the shoulder, and the skirt carries its own volume without a hoop underneath. It is made to measure, which is why it works for a daughter and for a mother. Order it as a girls' ball gown for a birthday, a naming ceremony, a school ball or a flower girl role, or in an adult size for owambe, aso ebi or a wedding guest look. Order both and you get a matching mommy and me set cut to fit each of you properly, rather than one design scaled down. Hand sewn in Nigeria in Ankara cotton wax print, with an organza ruffle and full lining. Send your measurements at checkout, allow 2 to 4 weeks before dispatch, returns within 30 days. This is occasion wear, so treat it that way. Spot clean or dry clean only, and store it hanging so the tiers keep their shape.
£85.00Sold by A.D.A couture &collections • Ogun
Fashion
Embellished Ankara Bubu Gown - African Kaftan Maxi Dress
A floor length Ankara bubu gown with a stone embellished panel running down the centre front, embellishment at the neckline and across the sleeve edges. Cut wide and loose through the body with slits at both sides, so it moves with you rather than holding you in. The bubu is one of the few silhouettes that does formal without doing tight. No waistband, no fastening to fight with, nothing that stops working after a long meal. It reads as dressed up because of the embellishment and the length, not because it is restrictive. Available in two prints: a green Ankara with a dense repeating pattern, and a brown Ankara scattered with multicoloured circular motifs. Both carry the same embellished centre panel and neckline. Wear it for owambe, weddings, introductions, church, Eid or Christmas, or any evening where you want to arrive finished. It works with flats and it works with heels, which is more than most floor length dresses manage. Made in Nigeria by Oluwatobiloba Global Concept. Because each gown is finished individually, the exact placement of the stonework and the print varies a little from one to the next. Care: hand wash cold or dry clean. Do not soak and do not bleach. Turn the gown inside out to press on a low heat, and keep the iron away from the stonework, which can lift with direct heat.
£24.00£25.00Sold by Oluwatobiloba global concept • Nigeria
Fashion Accessories
African Beaded Jewellery Set - Black Necklace, Bracelet & Earrings
A three piece beaded jewellery set in black, banded at intervals with red, green, blue and white beads and finished with gold tone caps. Multiple black cord strands are bound together at regular points along their length, so the colour sits in blocks against the black rather than running the whole way round. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, one matching bracelet and one pair of drop earrings. Black does something the brighter sets do not. It reads as jewellery rather than as costume, which means this one earns its place on an ordinary Tuesday as well as at a wedding. Wear all three pieces together when you want the full effect, or take the bracelet and earrings on their own with a plain shirt and nobody would call it a lot. The necklace fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short chain, so you can set it higher on the collarbone or let it drop. The bracelet and earrings carry the same beadwork and the same colour order, which is what makes the three pieces read as one set. Every strand is strung by hand, so the spacing of the colour bands varies slightly from set to set. Care: take the set off before perfume, lotion or water, all of which dull the beads and weaken the cord. Lay the necklace flat or hang it rather than folding it into a box, so the strands do not tangle. A dry soft cloth is all it needs.
£72.00£80.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
White Beaded Necklace, Bracelet & Earrings Set - Handmade African
A three piece beaded set built on white cord, banded at intervals with red, green, blue, orange and yellow beads and capped in gold tone. White does the opposite of what black does. Instead of holding the colour back it throws it forward, so the bands read as bright blocks rather than as accents. Includes one multi strand collar necklace, one matching bracelet and one pair of drop earrings. This is the version people reach for when the rest of the outfit is already plain. Over white linen, a black dress, denim, or traditional dress cut in a single colour, it becomes the thing people look at. It is bright without being heavy, which makes it easier to wear in daylight than most statement jewellery. The necklace is worked in multiple strands with a knotted section at the centre front, fastening at the back with a gold tone clasp and a short chain so the drop can be adjusted. The bracelet and earrings carry the same beads in the same order, which is what makes the three pieces read as one set. One honest note: white shows what black hides. Foundation, perfume and hand cream all mark pale cord, so this set rewards being put on last and taken off first. Every strand is strung by hand, so the spacing of the colour bands varies slightly from set to set. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion, make up and water. Lay the necklace flat or hang it rather than folding it into a box so the strands do not tangle, and wipe it down with a dry soft cloth after wearing.
£72.00£80.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
Black & Gold Beaded Necklace Set - African Statement Jewellery
A black and gold beaded set: a multi strand collar necklace worked in black cord with gold banding, carrying a large coiled rosette at the centre front, with matching beaded bracelets and a pair of drop earrings. Gold against black is the oldest formal pairing there is, and this set uses it without apology. The gold sits in bands along the strands and gathers into the rosette at the throat, so the piece has a focal point rather than being decorated evenly the whole way round. This is a formal set rather than an everyday one. It belongs with a plain dark dress, a white shirt, or traditional dress cut in a single deep colour, and it is built for the occasions where photographs get taken. The necklace fastens at the back with a gold tone clasp. The bracelets and earrings repeat the same black cord and gold banding, so the set reads as one piece of work rather than several. Every strand is wrapped and bound by hand, so the width of the gold bands varies slightly from set to set. The rosette in particular is coiled by hand and is never twice the same. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water. Store the necklace flat or hanging so the strands hold their shape, and keep the rosette from being crushed under other pieces in a jewellery box. Wipe with a dry soft cloth.
£70.00£80.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion
Handwoven Akwete Two Piece Set - Nigerian Top and Maxi Skirt
A two piece set cut from handwoven Akwete cloth: a short sleeve top with a full length maxi skirt, in bands of orange, purple, cream, green and black. Akwete is not a print. It is woven by hand by Igbo women in Akwete, a town in Abia State in south east Nigeria, on an upright wall loom that is the widest in Nigeria at roughly 100 to 127cm across. Most West African handweaving comes off a narrow strip loom and has to be stitched together in bands. Akwete does not, so the pattern runs unbroken across the cloth. The motifs are floated into the weave thread by thread as the fabric grows, which means the design is part of the structure of the cloth rather than a layer printed on the surface. The top is cut close through the body with a short sleeve. The skirt falls full to the ankle, so it moves when you walk and holds its shape when you stand. Together they read as one deliberate outfit rather than separates that happen to match. Available in UK 8 to 16. Wear the set together for weddings, owambe, introductions, church and traditional ceremonies, or split it: the skirt carries a plain white shirt or a black top on its own. Because every length of cloth is woven by hand, the placement and alignment of the bands vary from set to set. No two are cut from an identical stretch of fabric. Care: hand wash cold or dry clean. Do not bleach and do not soak. Hang to dry away from direct sunlight and press on a medium heat on the reverse.
£45.00Sold by Y’ola Fashions • Lagos
Arts
African Woman Portrait Canvas Wall Art - Gold and Pink 60 x 40cm
A portrait of a Black woman rendered in gold and warm brown against a background of pink, orange and violet. She meets the viewer's eye directly, shoulders bare, chin level, with none of the softening that portraits of women so often carry. The mood is calm authority rather than decoration. The palette is the point. Gold and copper across the skin, hot pink and tangerine behind, violet cooling the edges. It is a warm piece, so it lifts a room with cool grey or white walls and holds its own against exposed brick, dark green or navy. Size 60 x 40cm, portrait orientation. Supplied on canvas in a wood frame with a varnished finish, ready to hang straight out of the box. It works as a single statement above a sofa, a bed or a console table, or as the anchor of a gallery wall with smaller abstract or typographic pieces around it. Because it is portrait rather than landscape, it suits a narrow wall, a chimney breast or an alcove where a wide piece would not fit. By Wisdom Mullar. Colour may read a little differently in person than on screen, and the light in your room will change how the gold and pink sit together. Care: hang out of direct sunlight, which fades pigment over time. Dust with a dry soft cloth. Do not use water, solvents or spray cleaners on the surface.
£120.00Sold by Artmasterfineart • Ghana
Fashion Accessories
African Beaded Statement Necklace & Earrings Set - Red and Black
A two piece beaded jewellery set: a wide statement collar necklace and a matching pair of drop earrings, handmade in red, black and gold tone. The necklace is built from multiple cord strands wrapped and bound with beadwork, gathered into a worked rosette at the centre front, and fastened with a gold tone clasp at the back. Includes one collar necklace and one pair of drop earrings. It is a loud piece and it is meant to be. Against plain black, white or cream it does all the work on its own, which makes it the sort of thing you keep for occasions where you want to be seen: a wedding, church, a birthday, a shoot, anywhere the outfit needs one strong idea rather than five small ones. The earrings repeat the same red and black banding on a smaller scale, so the set reads as one thought rather than two accessories that happen to match. Wear them together, or wear the earrings on their own and save the necklace for something bigger. Each set is strung and assembled by hand, so bead placement and the exact fall of the strands vary a little from set to set. Care: keep away from perfume, lotion and water, which dull the beads and weaken the cord over time. Store the necklace flat or hanging rather than folded into a box, so the strands do not tangle. Wipe with a dry soft cloth.
£65.00£80.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion
Handmade Green Leather Sneakers for Men - Cyrene Low Top Trainers
The Cyrene is a low top leather sneaker for men in deep forest green and cream, handmade in Nigeria by Owen T. The upper is cut from smooth leather in contrast panels, laced with flat cotton laces, and carries the Owen T roundel on the side quarter. It sits on a chunky white rubber cupsole with a soft mint tint running through the midsole, so the shoe reads clean and modern from across a room and shows its handwork up close. Green and cream is easier to wear than all white and less severe than all black, which makes this a rare thing: one sneaker that works with tailored trousers on a Friday and with jeans on a Saturday. Available in men's EU 40 to 46, with UK, US and foot length equivalents in the size guide below. If you fall between two sizes, message us before ordering and we will advise. Wear it with cropped chinos, dark denim, a linen suit or under a kaftan. The green does the work, so keep the rest of the outfit quiet. Every pair is cut, stitched and finished by hand in Nigeria, so small variations in grain, colour depth and stitch line are normal and are the mark of a handmade shoe rather than a fault. Care: wipe with a soft dry cloth after wear, treat with a neutral leather conditioner every few weeks, keep away from direct heat, and store with shoe trees or stuffed with paper so the shape holds.
£108.70Sold by Owen. T • Enugu/Nigeria
Fashion
Handmade Leather Mules for Men - Brown Hair On Hide Backless Loafers
The Owen T mule is a backless leather slip on for men, handmade in Nigeria from hair on goat hide. The upper keeps the natural brown and white markings of the hide, so no two pairs carry the same pattern, and a single leather strap runs across the vamp with a small keeper. It is built on a closed round toe with an open back, which is the shape that makes a mule work: it goes on in one motion but still holds the foot properly, unlike a slide. The black sole has a low stacked edge, so it reads as a proper shoe rather than a house slipper. Wear them for the things a loafer is too formal for and a trainer is too casual for: dinner, a weekend, an evening at home that still has people in the room. They sit well with tailored trousers, dark denim, and with a kaftan or agbada. Available in men's EU 40 to 46, with UK, US and foot length equivalents in the size guide below. Mules are held across the strap rather than at the heel, so message us if you fall between two sizes. Because the upper is a natural hair on hide, the brown and white markings, the direction of the hair and the depth of colour differ from pair to pair and from the photographs. That is the material, not a fault. Care: brush gently along the direction of the hair with a soft brush, spot clean with a barely damp cloth and let dry away from heat. Do not soak or machine wash. Store in the box away from direct sunlight.
£81.52Sold by Owen. T • Enugu/Nigeria
Fashion
Pink Heart Print Ankara Two Piece Set - Shirt & Wide Leg Trousers
A hot pink and royal blue Ankara two piece set, handmade in Nigeria by Lummy Atelier. The collared short sleeve shirt is cut in a bright pink cotton wax print with a white heart outline motif, and pairs with matching royal blue wide leg trousers in the same heart print, so the co-ord reads bold without trying too hard. The shirt has a relaxed, breathable fit that skims rather than clings. The trousers sit on the natural waist and fall in a long, fluid wide leg that lengthens the line and moves well when you walk. Available in Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. Made from cotton Ankara wax print fabric, so it breathes in warm weather, holds its colour through repeated washes and presses back to a crisp finish. Wear the set together for weddings, owambe, church, brunch, birthday shoots and holiday dressing, or split it up: the pink Ankara shirt works over jeans or white tailoring, and the blue wide leg trousers carry a plain top on their own. Every piece is cut and sewn in small batches by our team in Nigeria, so slight variations in print placement are part of the character of the garment. Care: machine wash cold on a gentle cycle or hand wash. Wash separately for the first two washes, hang to dry away from direct sunlight and iron on a medium heat on the reverse.
£20.00Sold by LUMMY ATELIER • Nigeri
Fashion
Mustard Yellow Beaded Strap Peplum Maxi Dress, Made to Measure
Mustard yellow maxi dress with beaded shoulder straps and a gathered peplum waist, cut in 100% cotton so it holds its structure through a long day. The fitted bodice and defined high waist create a clean hourglass line, while the floor length skirt falls with weight and movement. The beaded straps and dramatic peplum carry the detail, so the dress reads as a finished look without extra styling. Made for occasion wear: wedding guest outfits, engagement parties, owambe and aso ebi events, birthday dinners, church anniversaries and evening receptions. The solid mustard tone photographs cleanly in both daylight and indoor lighting. Available made to measure. Instead of a standard size chart, the dress is cut to your own bust, waist, hip and length measurements, which you provide at checkout. Made to order by an independent designer on Sokofa and shipped worldwide with DHL tracking.
£180.00Sold by Rayo.ng • Nigeria
Fashion Accessories
Bohemian Maasai Leather Sandals
Bohemian Maasai Sandals are handmade leather shoes finished with colourful beads, a low-profile silhouette and a relaxed artisan feel. The multicoloured design makes them ideal for shoppers looking for handmade African sandals with a boho edge, comfortable everyday wear and a giftable statement look. With their handcrafted beads, leather base and easy style, these sandals fit naturally into searches for beaded footwear, bohemian sandals and African-inspired shoes.
£45.00£50.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Fashion Accessories
African Beaded Maasai Sandals
Handmade African beaded sandals crafted from genuine leather and finished with colourful beadwork for a bold, artisan look. These Maasai-inspired sandals are designed for comfort, everyday wear and standout styling, with secure lace-up support and a lightweight feel. A versatile choice for shoppers searching for handmade leather sandals, African-inspired footwear and unique statement shoes.
£45.00£50.00Sold by The Craft Experts • Kiambu
Buying guide
What lands in new arrivals
New arrivals is the fastest-moving page on Sokofa: every product here was recently listed by one of our verified artisans, from first collections by newly joined designers to fresh batches from established studios. Because makers list work as they finish it, the mix changes continuously — fashion one week, a run of ceramics or original art the next.
Handmade work tends to arrive in small batches, so if a new piece catches your eye, it is worth moving sooner rather than later — many listings are one-of-one or made in editions of a handful. Anything that sells through may be relisted when the artisan makes more, but with natural variation between batches.
Checking this page regularly is the closest thing to walking the market: you see what African makers are producing right now, before it surfaces anywhere else on the site.
Common questions
About buying new arrivals on Sokofa
How often are new products added?
Continuously — artisans list new work as they finish it, so the page refreshes throughout the week rather than on a fixed schedule. If you want first pick, checking back regularly is the best strategy.
Are new arrivals limited stock?
Often, yes. Handmade work arrives in small batches, and some pieces — particularly original art and one-off garments — are one-of-one. The stock level on each product page tells you what is available.
Are new vendors verified before their products appear here?
Yes. Every vendor on Sokofa is personally verified before their first listing goes live, so a product being new never means it is unvetted.
Do new arrivals ship worldwide?
Yes — like everything on Sokofa, new arrivals ship internationally, with delivery times and costs confirmed at checkout. If anything arrives damaged or not as described, contact support within 48 hours of delivery.