#kayudesign
Handbag Label: @kayudesign
Styling: Nalinna
Photography: Nalinna
Kayu Design (’Kayu’ means ‘wood’ in Malay).
It all began in 2008 while Jamie, the founder, was searching for gifts to bring back to her friends in the US when visiting her family in Malaysia. That moment she said ‘I realized that all the beautiful handicrafts I grew up with as a child had disappeared and were replaced with cheap, synthetic alternatives.’ So she decided to make a change.
After years of working with artisans accessories company in South East Asia. She was determined to make handcrafted accessories line of her own. ‘KAYU’ was created to reflect an ode to her cultural heritage, applying natural materials such as straw, wood and shell in the design to remind her of her childhood memories.
‘The batik kaftans my mother use to wear, the rattan chairs in our dining room and the vibrant textures and colors of South East Asia. We hope that when you carry your KAYU it too will awake the adventurer in you.’
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Rattan, straw, wicker, jude, wood etc have always been something I look for. As a Chiang Mai girl, I have been growing up with these beautiful natural materials, well literally surrounded by them.
I remember those days when I used to visit local markets with grandma and she always ended up with hand full of handmade baskets and straw bags for no reasons, purely just showing appreciation for local craftsmanship. The more I grew up the more I understand why she has been collecting them. Like Jamie the founder of Kayu Design has mentioned on her biography ‘I realized that all the beautiful handicrafts I grew up with as a child had disappeared and were replaced with cheap, synthetic alternatives.’ I totally agree with her, that is why I always look out for them both for my own use, yet to remind me of those days when grandma was still alive.
Kayu has brought back my beautiful memories as well as building beautiful memories for a lifetime.
*Every piece are delicately handcrafted by women in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia and currently working with new immigrant women in San Francisco with practical training and alternative source of income.
Let’s preserve these beautiful artisanal craftsmanship to live with us forever.
Nalinna*
Credit:
Instagram:@kayudesign
Site:www.kayudesign.com
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