How the Oscars changed the life of Kenyan designer Nthenya Mwendwa
BBC World Service, Business Daily
A partnership between the Kenyan government and an Oscars gifting suite company last year led to her creations being featured.Claire PainchaudThis photo of Viola Davis with a cow hide bag at a pre-Oscars gifting suite helped sales"They were like, man, we'd better buy a bag from her before she gets super expensive," Mwendwa, whose bags can cost anything from $150 and $420 , told the BBC.
She got lucky and her bag was picked up by Bianca Atterberry, a US singer-songwriter also known as Blush. She was at home in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, when pictures of Blush wearing her bag were posted online. Her phone blew up, but as it was the middle of the night in Kenya she had no-one to celebrate with.This has all pushed sales beyond the African continent, and Mwendwa says Beyoncé's producer has even been in touch.Her bags are made from sustainable materials like discarded fish leather and cow hide; they also feature intricate bead-work.
"The bead-work from Tanzania is all white and then the beadwork from my mum's hometown [in Narok County] is different.
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