The Ndebele and Shweshwe 100% Silk Scarves hand made in our atelier in Cape Town
Since existence yarns made the warp of civilisation, reflecting the dimension in which humanity found itself at the given point in time.
Our clothing pieces are anthropological studies in folkloric wear from the times when life was spent living, people eat from their gardens and tended to their animals and their dwellings, crafting useful objects, or objects of beauty for the sake of it. They were gathering in communities to share their abundance, learning and spirituality. Everyone was a creative craftsman.
Our clothing is meant to last, enduring trends and wearing. There is a particular energy about a garment that is meant to be with you for a long time. Every detail has to be considered.
In the past, women and men wove and sew their own clothing. Garments like shirts, trousers, skirts and coats had to suit the morphology of the body through time. Wardrobe was specific and each garment carried the cultural, tribal and regional heritage. Sometimes, hundreds of hours were spend to ornate and beautify, to express one's personality and story.
From the universal folkloric heritage we selected and distilled essential pieces of clothing that could inspire you to live a beautiful life in harmony with nature. Our master artisans spend time and effort to create each piece of clothing, from beginning to end, always with you in mind.
The seed that germinated from our desire to expand Wild Olive Artisans' world to clothing, sprouted already in 2010 with our silk scarves inspired from the Ndebele and Xhosa patterns.
The scarves are printed on 100% mulberry silk, cut and sewn in our atelier.
THE SHIRT…
In 2021, after an encounter with Romanian artist and designer Ana Plesa, we found our first shirt. Ana Plesa designs since 2002 under her own label Ana Alexe, clothing with meaning and stories, taken as far as her imagination allows.
We dreamed to have a white shirt, and Ana had already designed one that we absolutely loved, inspired from the Romanian Peasant shirt also known as IA.
This first shirt, symbolically called ANA, is made from diaphanous 100% cotton batiste in one universal size that would fit from XS- XL.
The shirt can be hand or machine-washed and does not need ironing. Ironing it would take away from its organic character.
Our atelier can only make 6 shirts every month.
THE SKIRT…
In 2023 we designed our first skirt, after a detailed study in folkloric costume from four different cultures: the Japanese, Korean, Romanian and Scandinavian.
This wrap skirt called MARIA has pockets on both sides and every pleat is sewn to maintain the style of the garment. A hand sewn button-whole for the wrap is strategically positioned to suit sizes from XS-XL.
Made from 100% linen of the highest quality, the skirt can be hand or machine-washed and does not need ironing. Same as the shirt, ironing would take away from its organic character.
Our atelier can only make 4 skirts every month.
Our clothing unravel a distillation of our philosophy rooted in culture, respect for nature and artisanal work. They are our suggestion for a slow, better life lived in harmony with nature. They are made to be worn and made to last. They allow freedom of movement, practicality and elegance.
Available only from our shops in Bucharest and Cape Town.
For more information you can contact us at sales@wildolive.eu
