AIRBNB EXPERIENCE: CREATE TRADITIONAL AFRICAN KAFTAN
DURATION: 2 hours PROVIDED: Cold drinks, beading materials and fabric TAKE: Nothing COST: R550 per person; since this is a social impact experience, it goes to Stayqueens
Whenitcomes to hands-on projects such as growing my own veggies, DIY-ing and designing and sewing my own clothes, I have no shortage of imagination or enthusiasm. But my practical skills leave much to be desired. My crafting attempts never end well. My herb garden died within a few days, I’ve thrown out many a half-finished craft project that didn’t quite look the way I’d imagined and my clothing designs seldom go beyond a pencil sketch.
Airbnb experiences are fairly new to Joburg. They launched in Cape Town in 2016, but in my valley they have only been around since July 2018.
Despite my dubious handwork track record, I signed on to learn how to make a beaded African kaftan. This experience is hosted by Victoria Adasonla, the founder of NGO Stayqueens, which empowers women to become entrepreneurs by improving their self-esteem, providing mentorship and creating a network of female (and some male) entrepreneurs for support and advice. They also organise workshops and empowerment programmes to showcase members’ businesses and business ideas.
‘We try to empower women, who in turn empower other women, to create a chain effect,’ says Victoria. She is passionate about crafts, local fashion and people, and also hosts a personal stylist Airbnb experience during which she takes you to local designers’ shops in Sandton City and guides you in selecting stylish, local fashion pieces. The trip includes a visit to the designer of the Madiba shirts.
Victoria is fabulously knowledgeable about African fabrics and I could choose from a range of different colours, patterns and beading styles. I chose a beautiful bright African fabric called Ankara, but there is also an option to use a chiffon fabric to create beaded embroidery.
The experience takes place in Victoria’s office studio with her favourite music playing. As we worked, we talked fabrics, the history of the kaftan, her life and her work with Stayqueens.
I was, unfortunately, not transformed into a fashion designer, but I made a beautiful item that could easily double as a unique gift: my own free-size beaded kaftan! Plus, I learnt new sewing skills: how to do an invisible stitch to sew seams and a more heavy-duty stitch to keep seams together.