Mother of water, a journey of inspiration Mami Wata is the spirit of water in African folklore, which flows from natural springs and rivers. She’s an embodiment of power and humility, embodying true femininity.
She lives in bodies of water and is typically portrayed as a beautiful woman dressed exquisitely in traditional clothing or jewelry. And is associated with fertility, prosperity, love and beauty. “Between shores and oceans, kids have grown up believing in her prosperity and goodwill, and I was one of them who never lost hope.”
This inspired many of Renwa’s pieces, the material of cotton with the weaving technique and handmade dying by villagers who used to spend their days at shore waiting for Mami Wata’s prosperity, the beads looks inspired from artisans adding one to the other to dress families during feasts, as well as the braided details in various looks that are inspired from Mami Wata’s long hair.
“I used to play by the shore and see those villagers, never knew that it can someday impact by work”. Sustainability is always at the core of her work, Renwa does her best in implementing it during various parts of her creation process. Materials are collected from nature then looks are produced in limited quantities to decrease waste. She uses organic materials from local artisans where they create the fabric with their hands and dye it through pigments found in plants, vegetables & fruits. Her goal is to make fashion sustainability possible while still maintaining richness in the silhouettes and quality.