Capitec, South Africa’s leading digital bank, has teamed up with handmadeAFRICA to introduce a boutique retail experience that celebrates the best of African creativity and craftsmanship. This partnership is set to deliver an exclusive shopping experience, showcasing meticulously selected pan-African designs that emphasize ethically and sustainably produced products. Through collaborations with well-known events across the country, Capitec handmadeAFRICA aims to infuse a luxe design element into each occasion.
Asha Patel, Head of Brand and Communications at Capitec, highlights the importance of this collaboration in promoting African talent: “Capitec believes in the power of African ingenuity and entrepreneurship. This collaboration with handmadeAFRICA will help us showcase the incredible talent across our continent. By supporting these creators and small businesses, we’re celebrating our rich cultural heritage and investing in the future of African commerce. We’re excited to offer this exciting experience to South African shoppers and support African creativity.”
Celebrating African Culture and Creativity
Unlike traditional fairs, Capitec handmadeAFRICA disrupts the norm by taking its boutique retail experience on the road, bringing the best of contemporary African design directly to people in key cities and towns. This approach allows a broader audience to connect with the continent’s creative heritage.
Garreth van Niekerk, Creative Director of handmadeAFRICA, says that the curated selection will feature unique collectables from Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, Dakar, and beyond. These range from fashion and accessories to jewellery, home décor, and beauty. “This experience eliminates the hassle of shipping fees, quality concerns, and sizing issues that often come with online platforms – leaving shoppers to delight in the joys of a first-hand tactile shopping experience,” explains van Niekerk.
The first Capitec handmadeAFRICA event will be held in partnership with Good Neighbours, an annual festival celebrating African music, poetry, and food. Scheduled for Sunday, 13 October, at the NIROX Sculpture Park, this edition promises to be a vibrant fusion of creativity and culture.
Showcasing Africa’s Most Innovative Designers
Among the designers whose work will be featured at the first Capitec handmadeAFRICA event are some of Africa’s brightest emerging talents, including LRNCE, Dye Lab, Adele Dejak, Neimil, BAM Collective, Lukhanyo Mdingi, Hassan Hajjaj, Katush, and Kind Kid. Each designer brings a unique aesthetic rooted in African traditions but designed with a contemporary, global appeal.
Van Niekerk also emphasizes the importance of building direct relationships with makers: “The real heart of our work is in establishing direct relationships with designers and building a network across the continent. This allows us to contribute toward sustaining Africa’s creative wealth, and we’re fortunate to have Capitec as a partner who shares this vision.”
Empowering African Entrepreneurs
Capitec handmadeAFRICA aims to remove the barriers that small African enterprises often face when trying to enter new markets. The boutique experience takes care of the logistical challenges involved in cross-border transactions, helping designers reach a new audience without bearing the financial burden of travelling to South Africa.
Patel underscores Capitec’s dedication to empowering entrepreneurship: “Capitec handmadeAFRICA represents a significant step in our commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and celebrating African creativity. The more we support small and medium enterprises (SMMEs), the greater the potential for economic growth and job creation. Our partnership with handmadeAFRICA helps us uplift these businesses, tell their stories, and ultimately, help them grow.” This collaboration is not only a celebration of African creativity but also a practical initiative to support the continent’s designers and small businesses, paving the way for a more connected and prosperous African creative economy.
For more information about the Capitec handmadeAFRICA x Good Neighbours event and to purchase tickets, click here.
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