SPOTLIGHT ON TABARA N’DIAYE
The founder of La Basketry shares the story behind her ethically woven homewares
The founder of La Basketry
With roots in Senegalese craftsmanship, Tabara N’diaye’s basketry brand gives back as much as it offers, empowering a rural community of craftswomen through fairly paid employment. Her vibrant bowls, baskets and fans are brought to life using traditional skills and sustainable materials in a small village outside of Thies, Senegal. ‘My parents are from Thies, which is known for its coiled basket weaving. Growing up, I spent my summers in Senegal, and have always loved the baskets,’ explains N’diaye.
Born and raised in Paris, N’diaye moved to London in her early 20s to pursue a career in event management. ‘After a fast-paced 10 years in the industry, I wanted to do something more meaningful. At the time, my sister Mamy and
I were visiting Senegal. Instead of buying baskets at our local market, we went to a small village where they were being made and were mesmerised by what we saw: women gathered in a courtyard, each one weaving while their children played together. There was a beautiful sense of community,’ N’diaye recalls. La Basketry launched in 2017, with a capsule collection of handwoven bowls. ‘I created the online shop as a platform to showcase handwoven pieces made by the women we met. I wanted to shine a light on the beautiful craftsmanship and generate a regular income for the weavers.’
N’diaye has since introduced tableware and more storage to the range, and last year penned a craft book for would-be weavers. Basket kits have also joined the website’s offering. ‘It was important to me to learn how to weave in order to better understand the products and support the women I work with. Reconnecting with handcrafting has sparked such joy. I wanted to share my experience by creating kits that were fun and accessible, and would encourage people to experiment with colour and pattern in their homes,’ she says.
‘La Basketry’s ethos is about celebrating all things woven – be it purchasing a piece made by a skilled artisan or crafting it yourself in a community of like-minded basket lovers using workshops and tutorials.’
As for her own home and style, N’diaye says, ‘I live with my husband in a converted school in east London. It’s a very quirky building with huge ceilings and a lot of natural light. My most treasured items are my collection of baskets from Cuba, Ghana, Portugal and Vietnam. I like to make things for my home, but
I recently bought a wall hanging from Cath Chamberlain’s Etsy store and I shop for candles at Our Lovely Goods. My go-to for stationery supplies is Studio Oudizo, and for fragrance, I love Maya Njie. Her perfumes are inspired by both Swedish and west African culture.’