Zee's Intrigues

The highest summit of Mount Kilimanjaro was once completely covered in ice. But since 1912, more than 80% of the mountain’s ice cover has melted, disappearing at an even faster rate in recent decades. Photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s aerial photographs show how climate change has impacted the environment. He says, "It’s too late to be pessimistic — really too late. We have to be a part of the solution."

The Mystical World Of Mushrooms Captured In Photos

Most people consider mushrooms to be the small, ugly cousins of the plant kingdom, but theirs is  surprisingly beautiful and wonderful world waiting to be explored. These beautiful mushrooms, captured by enthusiastic nature photographers, are a far cry from the ones you find in the woods or your local grocery store.

6 Sierra Leonean doctors have paid the ultimate price in their efforts to combat the ebola virus. They died trying to save lives. These are their names. Let’s remember them.

Dr. Sheik Humarr Khan

Dr. Martin Salia

Dr. Modupeh Cole

Dr. Olivet Buck

Dr. Sahr Rogers

It’s hard not to be attracted to Akosua’s A A K S brand and products. Aesthetically, the intricately hand-woven made in Ghana bags are bright, bold and beautifully designed. Ethically, the objectives of A A K S are rooted in sustainability and preservation; with every purchase, the buyer is more than aware of the process each item has taken to become what it is. And of course, there’s Akosua herself. In just a few months, she’s taken her grassroots operation from a brilliant idea to a fast growing business with no signs of stopping.  

Hello Akosua! We’re so pleased that we get to chat to you about your brand. But firstly, we’d like to get to know more about you, what you do and how A A K S was founded. 

I am Akosua, a fashion designer currently living in Ghana. My business A A K S was established after seeing a gap in the market for beautifully handcrafted bags. Wanting to showcase this great technique and skill with a modern tasteful twist, I made the big move to Ghana after a time in London and embarked on a journey to change perceptions of hand crafted products around the world; and more importantly ignite sustainable jobs across Africa. The transition was gentle stemming from my fashion degree background and a great passion for design and colour, I decided to build a business that linked the maker directly to the consumer into a global brand.

The word “ethical” seems to pop-up a lot in descriptions of your brand. Can you elaborate on the meaning of “ethical fashion,” how you incorporate these objectives into your work, and how it translates towards the development of sustainability [within the fashion industry]?

The term ‘ethical’ to me means made by hand, handcrafted, hand woven; I grew up close to nature, beautiful coloured flowers, bright sunshine and warm rain. Natural, Nature and ‘Ethical’ has always been part of me, it’s a transparent and clear communication between a maker and a consumer to find answers to questions which are normally hidden or thought not of great importance  - such as (who makes your clothes? who designs this bag ? what materials have this product been made off, where is it sourced) Generally putting these words under an umbrella of ethical fashion brings soul and energy into a beautiful product and tells a story which is translated extremely well in my work process. The days of specialised craftsmanship are not over and perceptions are being challenged in the fashion industry now through sustainability. 

When designing your bags, where do you source your inspiration from? Can you talk us through your design process - where does your creativity stem from?

My inspiration is well and truly around me everyday. Through photography and drawing I am able to find a soft spot of inspiration which I normally base my research on. Other days I people watch or listen, I read design books, story books, I scout online for interesting blogs, I visit museums and galleries and when I am in Ghana I love staring at the women in my weaving community and their unconscious way of dressing which is a lot of bold colours and prints which clashes beautifully on the eye. 

AAKS is a bi-coastal brand based in Ghana and England, with the manufacturing happening entirely in Ghana. What is it like running a business from two separate geographic locations? And in what ways do you hope to see your brand expand?

I live in Ghana most of the time in the year; London is my second home now. It’s lovely to see a different light and perspective to my work in two different locations in the world. It also allows me to challenge myself to think for 2 customers and to think globally to satisfy a broader market. 

You launched A A K S in January, 2014, and since then, your brand seems to be growing from strength to strength. How would you advise young entrepreneurs struggling or attempting to develop their own businesses?

I would advise entrepreneurs to believe in themselves and their ability to start a business plus have a clear understanding of how you want your products made and perceived and not to worry about the background noise from people especially at the start. 

What have been some of the highlights from this journey so far?

Number one has to be a lady running up to me in London telling me how much she loved my A A K S Manni Clutch bag I was wearing, it dawned on me it’s my design and someone loves it and wants to buy it. I felt so happy!

Another highlight has to be showcasing my work in London at the South Bank Centre under the Platform ‘Africa Utopia’ and an Exhibition at the Oxo Tower Wharf for London Design Festival. It was so great to meet introduce my work to London, it was a great second home coming. 

Lastly, where or where can we purchase your amazing bags?

My bags can be purchased in London through the store Shake the Dust and soon to be on Styled by Africa online Website www.styledbyafrica.com which ships worldwide and the shop Bread and Bromwell in Woodstock, Cape Town. 

www.aaksonline.com (soon to launch) 

Thank you so much Akosua!

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35 years after the publication of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning classic Gödel, Escher, Bach, Amanda Stern, host of the spectacular Happy Ending literary series, revisits the question of how the brain makes a self.

Also see Rebecca Goldstein on the mystery of personal identity, then revisit Anne Lamott on that delicate art of letting yourself be known.