THE STORY
My love of wildlife began with growing up in Zimbabwe, where animals were a constant part of life. From holidays at my grandmother’s house, where baboons and monkeys were always around, to safaris across Africa, I became fascinated by the role animals play in our culture and the stories we tell about them.
Reflecting on these experiences, and the significance of totems in Shona culture, I wanted to create a contemporary interpretation of animal print.
The pangolin became the central motif. One of the world’s most trafficked mammals, it represents the many animals threatened by poaching and illegal trade.
The print became a way to celebrate our wildlife while drawing attention to what is at risk.
MEDIUMS
TEXTILE PRINTS, VIDEO, SCENT
COLLECTION
PANGOLIN
COUNTRY
ZIMBABWE
YEAR
2022
MADE IN
UK
THE SCENT
WILD JACARANDA
The pangolin print was rooted in the strong significance animals hold in my Zimbabwean culture and my connection to the natural world I grew up around. I wanted the scent to carry that same energy, earthy and connected to nature, but also deeply familiar to me.
The Jacaranda tree became the inspiration.
Every spring, on my way home from school, I walked through the jacaranda avenue. Purple flowers and just a beauty. As an adult, I realise that I took that walk for granted.
I developed Wild Jacaranda because the scent made me feel closer to home. A woody fragrance inspired by the natural landscape I grew up around, and a memory that has stayed with me long after I left Zimbabwe.
THE PANGOLIN COLLECTION
