Accra, October 19, 2017 – The Design Market is a premier, seasonal market that features talented designers, artists and makers from across the African continent. The second edition will take place on November 4th and 5th in Accra, Ghana. At the Design Market, visitors will have the opportunity to meet and shop directly from great designers from all over Africa, discover one-of-a-kind goods, and support local entrepreneurship.
The weekend-long market will take place at Luxury Living, curator of furniture, decor and lifestyle accessories from Ghana, across Africa and the globe. The Tea Room upstairs offers a collection of luxury teas, herbal infusions and tea time accessories that tell a uniquely African story.
In addition to a unique shopping experience, the Design Market offers an event along with music, cultural exchange and a wide selection of specialty foods and beverages.
The Design Market is produced by Dabira, a company founded and led by Charlotte Ashamu, an economic development specialist and recipient of the Mo Ibrahim Leadership Fellowship awarded annually by billionaire, Mo Ibrahim. “We want to showcase home-grown African design talent.
Our goals are to help designers and small businesses grow, to inject money into the local and regional economy, and open people’s eyes to the fact that amazing, quality products are made in Africa,” said Charlotte Ashamu.
The Design Market will feature a curated exhibition of top-quality designers and products ranging from fashion to home décor to furniture. In total, over a dozen emerging and established designers from five countries in Africa will showcase their work.
They include:
• Furniture designer and fine artist, Hamed Ouattara, from Burkina Faso, who transforms recycled metal into artistic homeware collections. His collections have been showcased at Design Miami, the premier global venue for design held alongside Art Bassel.
• Ghana based womenswear label, Nadrey Laurent, renowned for its unique and striking designs worn by top African celebrities such as Yemi Alade. .
• Leading Nigerian womenswear fashion designer, Yinka Fashola of Moofa, and founder of the Moofa School of Fashion Design.
• Ghana’s Studio Badge, a design studio that produces an exciting range of furniture, lighting and lifestyle products that celebrate the beauty of local Ghanaian wood.
• The trendy footwear brand, Nio Far, created by Senegalese designer, Milcos Badji, using traditional textiles and unique patterns.
• Sole Inspiration, an exquisite line of leather accessories and furniture made in Ghana.
• Nigeria’s Ty Tys, a range of men’s neckwear and accessories all hand-made using aso-oke, a traditional Nigerian textile.
• Contemporary ready-to-wear women’s fashion brands, Yalerri, Needlepoint and Atunnise Clothiers, made in Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria respectively, incorporating African prints.
• Two of Ghana’s new, cutting-edge fashion accessories brands, Myth House, which designs one-of-kind bags made of metal mesh, and Vastie’s, creators of stylish sunglasses for all ages.
• Selassie Tetevie of Ram Designs, a Ghanaian furniture designer renowned for his unique pieces such as traditional musical instruments transformed into sofas and chairs.
Guests at the Design Market will also have the opportunity to discover specialty foods and beverages made locally in Ghana.
The featured chef is Jeff Luno of Wood, who fuses his French flair with local ingredients to create an unforgettable culinary experience.
