Kvalitetsmaterial i harmoni med de rätta formerna
Babatunde är ett sydafrikanskt varumärke för accessoarer som förenar afrikanska färger och mönster med västerländska former. Företaget startades som ett kepsexperiment 2009 av grundaren och modestylisten Gareth Cowden. Sedan dess har de vuxit till ett globalt varumärke med snygga och originella produkter av bra kvalitet.Alla Babatundes produkter är handgjort i Sydafrika, av tyger med mönster som har energin och lekfullheten från de som skapat dem och de platser de är från. Uppmärksamheten på detaljerna på varje vara, i kombination med det originella uttryck varje tygskärning ger, skapar en unik look som verkligen står ut.
Ordet Babatunde betyder "fadern återvänder" på yoruba.
Vi fick förmånen att få besök av Babatundes designer och grundare Gareth Cowden och hade ett frukostmöte tillsammans med honom och några av våra kunder den 6 september 2018. Här är en sammanfattning av vad vi pratade om:
What is Babatunde and what does it stand for?
Babatunde is a global lifestyle brand bringing accessories around the globe, such as hats, caps, bow ties and clutch bags. Babatunde stands for strong African values and the progression of Africa through Afrocentrism. Babatunde wants to bring African vibrancy and colours into everyday life for and by fusing contemporary Western shapes with the African fabrics, people can add an African touch in any situation from the casual wear to a fancy party.
Gareth Cowden tells us that he chose the label name Babatunde as a tribute to values of responsibility and leadership. Babatunde literally means return of the father. Gareth says he feels the colonial and apartheid history of the continent have deprived many societies of their fathers and that leaders must show how to respect yourself and those around you and make decisions that benefit Africa. It does not matter if the “father” is a man or a woman, but the continent needs good guidance on how to build strong civil societies, says Gareth.
A company dream is to open its own workshop to produce all the accessories. Today Babatunde works with five different factories, mainly in and around Johannesburg. Most of them are family owned small factories that have the skills and machinery needed for manufacturing items such as umbrellas and trilbie hats. Gareth says that the goal to really make a difference for the workers is hard to measure, but he strives to find good companies and NGOs to work with and to do what is possible for a small company such as his, to promote both working conditions and the pride of being part of building an African brand.
What is an African brand? And why an African brand and not South African brand?
An African brand helps building pride on the continent in respect to valuing shapes, colours and traditions as positive and desirable items. Hopefully we can show people around the globe that Africa is a progressive, creative, and contemporary design force and encourage the world to support Africa through buying African products rather than traditional aid programs.
What is Babatunde and what does it stand for?
Babatunde is a global lifestyle brand bringing accessories around the globe, such as hats, caps, bow ties and clutch bags. Babatunde stands for strong African values and the progression of Africa through Afrocentrism. Babatunde wants to bring African vibrancy and colours into everyday life for and by fusing contemporary Western shapes with the African fabrics, people can add an African touch in any situation from the casual wear to a fancy party.
Gareth Cowden tells us that he chose the label name Babatunde as a tribute to values of responsibility and leadership. Babatunde literally means return of the father. Gareth says he feels the colonial and apartheid history of the continent have deprived many societies of their fathers and that leaders must show how to respect yourself and those around you and make decisions that benefit Africa. It does not matter if the “father” is a man or a woman, but the continent needs good guidance on how to build strong civil societies, says Gareth.
A company dream is to open its own workshop to produce all the accessories. Today Babatunde works with five different factories, mainly in and around Johannesburg. Most of them are family owned small factories that have the skills and machinery needed for manufacturing items such as umbrellas and trilbie hats. Gareth says that the goal to really make a difference for the workers is hard to measure, but he strives to find good companies and NGOs to work with and to do what is possible for a small company such as his, to promote both working conditions and the pride of being part of building an African brand.
What is an African brand? And why an African brand and not South African brand?
An African brand helps building pride on the continent in respect to valuing shapes, colours and traditions as positive and desirable items. Hopefully we can show people around the globe that Africa is a progressive, creative, and contemporary design force and encourage the world to support Africa through buying African products rather than traditional aid programs.
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We had the great pleasure of hosting a breakfast meeting with the South African designer and CEO of one of our favourite brands in the store, Gareth Cowden from Babatunde.