The Art Of Slow Fashion

The Perfect Waste Of Time

Livingstone has long been an iconic travel destination, combining breathtaking natural vistas with heart-warming people, to evoke the senses and lure visitors back time and again to enjoy the awe-inspiring sight of ‘smoke’ rising high above Victoria Falls, the haunting cry of the fish eagle and of course the smell of leather in the air. This is WAYAWAYA’s playground and the backdrop for the creation of a socially conscious range of luxury leather accessories.

WAYAWAYA translates as ‘the art of wasting time’ and is a luxury leather accessories company with a strong social mission. At its core WAYAWAYA embraces the art of ‘slow fashion’, creating meaningful fashion pieces that stand the test of time whilst connecting to a greater social awareness.

The vision behind WAYAWAYA is the brainchild of its founder, Iris Nikolaisen, who manages expertly to fuse together Norwegian and Zambian cultures which inspire the design and functionality of each bag. Women empowerment is the backbone of the company and WAYAWAYA’s focus is the investment in long-term development of artisanal leathercraft skills, culminating in meaningful job creation. Through expert tutelage by master craftsmen from Norway, South Africa and Zimbabwe, the team of women has been honed with the confidence and technical know-how to create products that consistently encompass WAYAWAYA’s signature look and feel.

This blending of styles is evident in the intricately braided straps that weave together the Sámi culture of woven embroidery with the Tonga culture of basket-making, or perhaps the intertwined petals within the signature WAYAWAYA print serving as a nod to the Nordic roses seen extensively in decorative folk art and the exotic Zambian flora as well as the bold traditional chitenge fabrics. Creating seamless overlap of these two starkly comparative cultures is no mean feat, but is achieved with harmony and style.

Investment in quality vocational skills development has been the driving force behind WAYAWAYA’s success. The tightknit team of women has undergone an extensive two years of training to get the ladies where they are today and armed with these skills for life.

‘I feel very happy. Actually, I am very proud…the skill I have now, even my friends are admiring me because it is not easy to learn how to use the leather and to do the stitching. Before, we just saw some bags at the market and in the shops, but we did not have any idea how to make them. But for now I am proud. Even when I see someone who is selling a handbag I am not left wondering. If I look at it very carefully I know I can make it my own. Yes.’ So says Angela, head leather artisan from the WAYAWAYA team.

This same sense of pride ripples out into every facet of the design process, but is most evident in the materials hand selected for each piece. From the signature fabric designs, the rich colour palette of leather hides, right down to the stitching and the thread used, every component is carefully curated to bring together the best in quality, value and locality. Everything is sourced close to home making your WAYAWAYA bag truly a product of Africa.

WAYAWAYA IS PART OF THE SLOW FASHION MOVEMENT; WE CREATE FASHION CONSCIOUSLY. IT IS AN ART FORM, AN EXPRESSION AND A SOCIAL AWARENESS.

And now WAYAWAYA is turning its attention to the world of tourism with a range of travel- and safari-friendly products currently in development. So, stay tuned for upcoming designs that meld the quintessential and classical with the contemporary and sleek. The safari collection aims to be multi-functional, scalable and adjustable. Products in the works are designed for the safari purists at heart, catering to everything you need for essential sundowners, travel documents and even camera gear, streamlining the designs and cutting out the unnecessary.

Want to see it for yourself?

The workshop is always open to visitors and offers you a behind-the-scenes look at this socially conscious brand; it’s a chance to meet the women of WAYAWAYA, hear their story and see the work and dedication that goes into each and every stitch. You can learn how each bag is handcrafted and the techniques that take it from an idea sketched on paper to a buffed and polished bag on display in the showroom.

As well as the opportunity to shop at the WAYAWAYA collection, you can also ‘mix and match’ to put your unique spin on a WAYAWAYA bag or even get hands-on with creating a piece for yourself. One thing is for sure…you won’t want to leave without carrying your very own piece of WAYAWAYA with you.

You can reach us on: sebastian@wayawaya.no iris@wayawaya.no