Throw out the ice and embrace what has become a trend so spectacular it makes the stars look fake. African crafts have slowly but surely made their statement in the fashion world.

White, black, red or yellow, people everywhere are adopting this simple yet very sophisticated look.
Out go the blinding earrings and icy necklaces and in come the crafts that have had every woman wanting a piece.

Basket earrings and beaded necklaces have become very popular with the ladies and they come in almost every color known to man.

Craft shops all over town are well stocked with these breathtaking ornaments and at a reasonable price too.

Basket earrings for example can be bought for not more than Rwf2000 and the beaded necklaces go for Rwf2000 to Rwf2500.

This beauty does not stop with ornaments alone but stretches to home décor and clothing. A lot of homes in the country have dropped the idea of the flower vases from Italy or the Persian rugs and opted for a more cultural look.

Dining and living room sets are now decorated with beautiful tableware giving the place a cultural but strangely still modern look.

Even in clothing, a touch of culture has been mixed with our modern dress code whether it’s in cooperate offices or private businesses and it looks amazing. You don’t want to over do it though because that just kills the whole impression.

For example, if you want to wear a flowered turquoise and yellow summer dress, nothing would look sweeter than a pair of brightly yellow basket earrings and a simple bracelet to go with it.

What you must never under any circumstance do is mix crafty jewelry with gold or silver jewelry because it is a disaster.

Too much jewelry is never nice. You don’t want to be the person who walks out of their house looking like you wore all your jewelry at the same time. Keep it simple, when you feel like revisiting your roots, pull out your African ornaments and when you feel like you have just been called to a Tiffany’s jewelry store photo shoot then by all means do the same. Just don’t mix it.

Simplicity is the way forward and our hand made crafts have offered that to us. I have seen bangles curved out of wood looking so glorious that you can’t help but buy some. It is beauty at its best, the kind that brings out the true African in us.
rachelgaruka@yahoo.co.uk