Ananta Design Studio: A design house partnering with local craftspeople, creating jobs, empowering communities, and putting local design on the global stage

The work of Cape Town’s local craftspeople was all the inspiration that sisters Viveka and Rucita Vassen needed to start Ananta Design Studio, their design and décor business that reimagines the traditional handiwork of Africa to produce beautiful pieces designed for elegant and authentically African modern living.

However, Ananta Design Studio does more than take inspiration from the work of Cape Town’s wire sculptors and beaders. The Vassen sisters collaborate and partner with craftspeople to produce beautiful pieces that are in high demand, and that have helped secure their design house a place as one of a dozen Création Africa laureate businesses that graduate from mentorship to full incubation in the French programme.

This phase of Création Africa comprises a five-month journey designed to empower entrepreneurs in the creative and cultural industries; expose them to potential global partners and international markets; give them invaluable exposure, networking opportunities and strategic guidance; and support them through seed funding.

“It’s absolutely amazing that our business has been selected for Création Africa incubation,” says Viveka. “We started Ananta Design Studio little more than a year ago. It’s so exciting that our work, and the work of the talented and dedicated crafting community of Cape Town, is being recognised in this way and is being given an unfettered opportunity to grow.”

Ananta Design Studio, she adds, has a very clear goal: to empower and uplift communities through creating jobs for crafters. The sisters are determined to grow the emerging international market for the work of Africa’s crafts people.

“We love that our business allows us the freedom to express and explore our creativity,” says Rucita. “We love being able, every day, to work with a creative community to bring pieces that are beautiful, meaningful, and practical into the lives of many.”

Quotable quote: “Création Africa has been a remarkable experience for us. Learning about the fundamental building blocks of entrepreneurship is useful almost beyond words. We’re off to a brilliant start, and we’re taking hundreds of Cape Town’s crafters with us on this journey. We are telling Africa’s stories. The world is listening.”

(Viveka Vassen)