Sustainable accessories brand, Margaux Wong, was founded by Guyanese/Burundian, Margaux Rusita. She grew up in one of the more impoverished but most fascinating, colourful and entertaining neighbourhoods in Georgetown Guyana. She partly credits her love of hard work and innovation to her upbringing in Albouystown, often described as the ghetto of Georgetown. She shares that her mum often attached large sheets of plain paper to the walls of their wooden home so that she could enjoy painting and colouring on the walls. Margaux describes her mum, who has suffered from mental health issues for decades, as her hero. Art has been a means of escape, fantasy and therapy for the designer for most of her life. Margaux has resided in beautiful Burundi for 12 years. Her design ethos was inherited from the Amazonian lifestyle of her fore parents- a lifestyle of zero waste. Her company transforms cow horn and recycled brass into magnificent Wearable Art in the form of jewelry, masks, belts, body armour and pochettes. One of their most successful collections was created from cut-off waste pieces of brass from a previous collection. The company employs artisans who were steeped in the ivory trade but now have alternative sustainable employment. Margaux Wong incorporates fair wages, a healthy working environment and are making contributions towards poverty reduction among the pool of gifted people they work within their community.
Margaux Wong jewelry ultimately represents transformation and elegance. They aim to preserve traditional artisanal techniques and employ these as a major part of their manufacturing process. The brand’s followers are in tuned with their inherent values, connection to tradition and most importantly, Margaux Wong’s relevance to their own personal, cultural and artistic journeys. Margaux Wong aspires to maintain the integrity of culture for posterity, while engaging with contemporary design ideas and expression.
MARGAUX WONG is featured as part of the selected talent invited to join the EFI Africa Accelerator [a year ago]. A continent-wide programme accelerating brands out of Africa through mentoring and development by industry experts.
The programme provides a new generation of African design talent the opportunity to engage with the international market. It seeks to equalise the playing field and bring exposure to the incredible talent that exists on the continent.
To learn more, please visit our website at ethicalfashioninitiative.org
The Ethical Fashion Initiative is supported by the European Union #EFIAccelerator