A few months ago when I was at Top Drawer, the retail trade show, I saw these stunning pieces from a company called Gone Rural who are feeding into the trend for African design with these handmade and hand dyed bowls and placemats.
They’re made by a large group of women in Swaziland who use an age old tradition of plaiting the Lavumisa grass as they do for thatch homes. Whilst there are plainer pieces, it’s the vibrant, statement bowls and placemats that take these into the contemporary zone, especially the red placemats that are very Missoni-esque. Bowls are £17.50 (for small) up to £78 for the large and placemats, are for example, £78 for 12. Available from The Travelling Souk.
