Emaswatini designers showcase their work in France

By Khulile Thwala

The International Trade Centre Alliances for Action Eswatini partners recently exhibited at Maison&Objet Paris 2023 to build commercial spaces for its Eswatini network of artisans and designers.

Luis Miguel Pascoal, who works with the European Union (EU) delegation in Eswatini to develop the private sector was eager to see Eswatini stand out for its originality and artisan craftsmanship on the EU market.

“Craft integration into a vast market such as the EU is critical. It is a sector that is crucial to local job creation and poverty alleviation because it represents family businesses and micro, small, and medium enterprises, including under-represented groups such as youth, women entrepreneurs and people living with disabilities,” he said.

According to the ITC website, this year, emaSwati designers and artisans showcased their products in Paris with support from the EU, ITC, and the Eswatini Government. They were represented by dynamic local enterprises JEREMPAUL and Yebo Art Gallery.

Maison&Objet is a bi-annual fair that covers objects for the home as well as high-end interior products. This year’s January show in Paris brought in 64 000 professional visitors, and more than 3 000 exhibiting brands from 64 different countries – a buzzing ecosystem of designers, talents, events, talks and services.

The crowd attending was international, with EU-wide attendance and high representation from renowned overseas design destinations like Japan and the United States. JEREMPAUL is dedicated to honouring and preserving the essence of Swati traditions through art, design, food and community.

They resented collections of one-of-a-kind pieces made from raw materials celebrating local traditions and principles through a contemporary lens.