Amechi Mandi on the precious object that inspired her design journey

This vintage Kirdi modesty apron was the catalyst for my decision to study design. I have always been fascinated by traditional textiles and started collecting them when I was around 21. One of my favorite songs is Birima by Youssou N’dour: it symbolizes a deep sense of culture that goes back thousands of years. For my younger self, the apron was the one in textile form.

I started working in fashion and, deep down, there were always these models. Years later, after moving from Berlin to the UK for university, I saw a beautiful chair by David David in collaboration with Glass Hill which made me think that these designs I loved would go well on furniture.

The original Kirdi modesty aprons were hand-woven from glass beads, very intricate, with a million colors and variations. I bought mine in Douala, Cameroon, at Marché des Fleurs, where you can buy crafts from all over the country and other parts of Africa – authentic things, not cheesy stuff! There are so many treasures!

I launched my brand with a series of Kirdi-inspired cushions. At first I struggled to find the right way to interpret it, but eventually I realized that beadwork could be drawn by hand and illustrated digitally, capturing its essence authentically.

It was important to me to use these indigenous textiles to send a message about my community, because I felt like we had been so affected by colonialism – in both good and bad ways. We forget the textiles that come from us. I look at them with pride because they are so beautiful. amechihome.com