Transplanted sales and marketing manager, Dana Fetch, reports from the field to kick off the much-anticipated launch of Indego Africa's upcoming Summer 2011 collection.A proud member of the Indego Africa team for almost a year now, I have worked primarily from the New York City office with a focus on the sales and marketing. On June 1st, I packed my bags and headed to the “Land of a Thousand Hills” for a summer long dive into Indego Africa’s in-country activities.
Thrilled to join Indego Africa's largest Rwanda-based team to date, I had long anticipated the day in which I could finally meet the diverse, talented group of artisan women at the heart of the Indego Africa community. From the older, high-spirited banana weavers at Twiyubake to the more youthful, energetic seamstresses at Cocoki, I was immediately awed by observing in-person the women’s skill, creativity, and thoughtful decision-making!
It is with much enthusiasm that I am proud to now announce the first of Indego Africa’s new Summer 2011 products: The Sweetgrass Necklace! These necklaces were crafted by artisans at Coovamaya, a weaving cooperative in Mayange, Rwanda that recently began working with Indego Africa. From the onset of production when the women were dyeing imegwegwe plant thread, the dedicated artisanry of the 180 women at Coovamaya was already apparent. Suffice it to say, I am not the least bit surprised that the result was a beautiful collection of necklaces.
Sold in sets of three, the Sweetgrass Necklace is available in either a gorgeous array of blues or a striking set of neon pink, blue, green, and orange. Golden rings augment the beauty of the color-blocked design and, as is the case with all Indego Africa products, each Sweetgrass Necklace includes a personalized product tag with the name and signature of the artisan woman who produced it.
During my stint in Rwanda, my admiration for our artisan partners has only grown (and by leaps and bounds). In addition to deepening my understanding of their artisanal repertoire and techniques - from dyeing to weaving - this experience has allowed me to see firsthand the pride and excitement that each of them takes in their work…(not to mention exposed me to their highly-promising modeling skills!). SHOP NOW to generate income for these entrepreneurial women while boosting your summer wardrobe!
-Dana Fetch, Sales and Marketing Manager
(Photos: artisan women at Coovamaya flash their versatility, at top, weaving new Sweetgrass Necklaces and, at bottom, modelling them)
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