Isleande Brands We Love: AAKS

Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, the founder of her namesake brand AAKS, has an incredible story. I start with her journey, because when you see what she’s done and how she’s accomplished it, the brand’s stunning accessories will come as less as a surprise. After graduating from design school in London, she returned to her roots in Ghana with an innate desire to create something. While trying to decide on exactly what that would be, on a random day her eyes grazed a few bolga baskets perched on the road side and she wondered why nothing had been done with them. Later, she would describe this as her defining moment. Her next steps were anything but straightforward. Finding weavers and maintaining continuous production proved to be mammoth tasks, challenges Akosua was willing to take on, imperfectly yet gracefully.

When I discovered her brand, I was immediately taken aback at how beautiful and well thought out the collection was presented. As a colour enthusiast, I find her choice of blends bold and infinitely elegant, while the bag shapes were stunning yet functional. Each bag is ethically produced, handwoven in a small village in Ghana, where groups of local artisan weavers move skillfully in a craft that has been handed down through generations. The bags are woven incorporating the use of ecologically harvested raffia that is locally sourced and complimented with leather elements. It takes approximately one week to complete a handbag, bearing the finger prints of the weaver who created it.

I’m beyond pleased to feature AAKS collection in our shop. It’s always fulfilling to find visionaries who not only share the same values, but also create usable objects that celebrate beauty, culture and life. The perfect addition for many seasons to come.

AAKS at Isleande