Vanhu Vamwe S/S’15: Avant Garde pieces using leather and upcycled materials

Vanhu Vamwe is the brain child of Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, and simply means ‘one person’, the brand sends the message of coming together as citizens of the world. Regardless of ethnicity and language barriers, the love of fashion, art and culture brings us together and this is Pam’s mission. Their work is handmade impeccably using different ancestral techniques as Vanhu Vamwe is not interested in intricate style, but in showing the beauty of the materials used as they believe value is measured by original design rather than ‘conspicuous consumption’ of ‘preciousness’.

Vanhu Vamwe’s products are infused with a clean and minimalist perspective, manifested through irregular shapes, subtle colours, and stitching that references their African heritage. Their accessories are mainly made from vegetable tan leather with a mixture of perspex and industrial yarns. Perfect Imperfections, their spring/summer 2015 collection is an accessories collection that questions the perception of product design and its use by using conceptual furniture and wood forms as inspiration.

The collection displays detail and shape experimentation, concentrating on hand-made products with a fashionable edge which should be seen as investment pieces. Their work is not about being trend-led rather concentrating on the beauty of craftsmanship and design. The brand is also committed to designing through social efforts by sourcing materials from minority owned businesses in Africa, in an attempt to strengthen the social fabric of ethical work thorough artisians in Kenya.