In honor of Black Gurls who rock I caught up with indie jewelry designer Afua Kumasi to ask a few questions about her line which consist of African handmade jewelry. She was also kind enuff to sponsor a giveaway for Urban Suburban Chic readers!
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| Earcuffs |
I live in Los Angeles where I was born and raised
What is your name?
Afua Kumasi a name I adopted a few years ago. Afua means born on Friday and is associated with creativity so it suits me well.
How did you think of the name of your line?
I created the name Afriquelachic about 5 years ago before I had an online business. The name came about when I was taking a class in French. Because I was designing mostly African inspired jewelry at the time I decided to create a name with a French twist and somehow Afriquelachic came to mind and I loved it. Oddly a good amount of my customers are Africans living in France.
What got you into to designing jewelry?
I was born into making jewelry. My mom gave me my first set of jewelry tools as soon as my hands were able to hold them. My mom was a jewelry designer and taught me everything I know. I have been building on my craft for over 30 years now and consider it my first love. I am literally meditating when I'm designing jewelry
Where do you find the materials used?
I find materials everywhere from flea markets to local and online bead stores. I am a fan of natural materials which are hard to find so a lot of my time is spent searching all over the world. I have ordered supplies as far as Africa and Australia.
What is your ultimate goal or who would you like to see wearing your art?
I love to see anyone who finds my creations attractive wearing them. I don't chase celebrities or public figures because I don't believe they can solely validate the worth of my craft. My vision for my jewelry as time passes is to eventually open up several offline boutiques here in Los Angeles as well as wholesale to department stores. I would also like to colab with African inspired clothing designers for photo shoots.
Favorite past time outside of work?
Actually my favorite past time is creating jewelry because it's not work to me it is more like a stress reliever. The only work in my operation is the regular logistics associated with keeping my business running such are marketing, packing and shipping, customer service etc. Beyond that I love reading about technology, reading about African culture and travels, shopping for beads and supplies, and cooking.
What inspires your pieces?
I take inspiration from everything from the beautiful places in nature to people and culture. I am currently working on an Omo collection of colorful African inspired tribal pieces inspired by the Omo people of Ethiopia. I love to work with color and the essence of the Omo people are vibrant colors and textures.
How did the name of the line come about?
Actually Afriquelachic is just an umbrella of a fusion of Afrocentric, urban, shabby chic, and modern/ futuristic jewelry styles. I rarely create lines because I find it hard to color within the lines. I like to call my pieces hybrids.
How can you be reached?
I prefer to be contacted via the contact form on my website http://www.afriquelachic.com/, my fan page on facebook www.facebook.com/AfriqueLaChicJewelry ,or twitter www.twitter.com/AfuaKumasi
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| Earlace earring necklace |
The contest ends November 19th.
Length: 26"
weight: light
materials: chunky black link chain, custom cut acrylic "black gurls rock" pendant measuring 3" wide by 2 1/2" in length
