The colors present in African fashion accessories have always been intriguing. The mix of hues intertwined and weaved together stand out in their dominantly arid continent. Now, we’re brought closer to these with South African pieces brought by umbrella brand Venda Africa.
The brand name itself was inspired by the Venda people of South Africa. According to a representative of the brand, they will primarily bring in fashion accessories from designers based in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. They also just debuted during the Home & Away trunk show last weekend.
“South African design tends to be strong on color and pattern,” Venda’s representative tells us. As of now, some of their popular pieces come from the Pichulik range designed by Katherine-Mary Pichulik. “It features rope and decorative elements all shaped and finished by hand. It’s very distinctive because it’s at once tribal and sophisticated, regal and bohemian.”
As mentioned, each piece has distinctive colors and patterns. What’s great about them is that aside from learning more about South Africa, you also get a snippet of the culture of various tribes.
Take for example the Thielle necklace which is made from yellow, green, and blue rope that’s perfect for resort wear. It also has small bells of the same motif which are arranged in a way that adds a gradient touch. “[The striped rope pattern and color blocks] also evoke the motifs the Ndebele people (a tribe in Zimbabwe) are known for.”
Other colorful pieces include bracelets with the same striped pattern. Some also have small bells on them which traditionally “harks to the importance of the cow in Zulu societies.”
While the strikingly bright pieces are suited for simple casual and monochromatic clothing, there are also accessories that you can use for evening wear. The Fan necklace and the Black Geisha earrings are both made from black rope with gold accents―a nice touch for black tie parties.
Aside from accessories, Venda Africa also plans to sell home pieces like telephone wire baskets and accents made from trophy grade skins and horns. “I would love to bring in fashion; maybe in time as we are still testing the market,” the rep says.
As of now, you can only find Venda Africa at select trunk shows which will be announced on their Instagram account. So better keep a lookout if you want to add unique South African pieces to your jewelry box.
Photos courtesy of Venda Africa
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