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It will be fair to deduce that the eight women have become the silent yet honored faces of the Naana B. line, carefully creating products – with direction and assistance of design liaisons – that appeal to the modern woman anywhere in the world.
A fascinating feature of the collection, one must note, is its authenticity. Its creative use of the infamous Sika Print fabric, to produce handbags instead of clothing, stations the fashion line in a class of its own. The prices range from $50 to $250, with the higher end items produced from snake and python skins transported from Nigeria.
“I think handbags are kind of like candy,” Naana states with a tinge of glee in her tone. “I love color; I love graphics and textiles so this is a great project because every season we’ve been able to do something different and because African fabric is so diverse.”
The line’s fine collection of clutches made from Nigerian head scarves comes in a form seldom found today. The elaborate colorful designs and clean details add to its elegance, one created for the “sensible woman” as Naana terms it. It is safe yet exciting. The colors are far from overwhelming. It is one that facilitates the lifestyle of a woman who appreciates the simplicity of picking up a purse that holds everything she needs and still manage to look beautiful with minimal effort. Who is this sensible woman?
Naana answers: “[She] is someone who travels a lot, someone who goes to a lot of functions, a performer, or someone who’s in the spotlight a lot but who also wants something that’s easy to use. So there’s utility. Sensible, meaning it’s easy to use, the zippers are strong, everything is contained.”
But as alluring as the line is, it still must compete with a flood of talented designers for publicity. What distinguishes this collection from others, however, is the story behind its inception: it began as a project to raise money and awareness to profit activities of the RCEC and the women who create the chic handbags. More revenue from the venture could potentially result in the construction of more centers for more villages, like Apirede. But with every success comes challenges.
“From a business standpoint when you’re building a brand, you’re building a team, and it’s very difficult,” Naana confesses. “You struggle with finding the right people and the biggest challenge behind this brand is finding people who actually believe in it.” She concedes, though, that African-content products are beginning to receive a wide embrace. “Now it’s like chic and fun.”
The Naana B. line is now venturing into clothing, an evening wear collection launched this spring, all of which were produced through the center. Once again, the focus is diverted to the RCEC, a conscious effort made by Naana to keep alive the vision of the line and its connection to the center.
“It’s a very personal story. The bags again, people see handbags and they think, ‘Oh I love it!’ but there’s more story to what it’s about,” Naana reiterates.
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