The handicraft project

Back to 2005 Michela Manservisi and Sergio Simeone along with some craftsmen and designers from Mali decided to show their collections in Italy. A cultural and commercial challenge to the sanctioned fashion languages.

By supporting projects of local artcraft, AFRITUDINE Cultural Association intends to safeguard ancient wisdom and experience, to participate concretely to the developement of an economic source diffused throughout the entire continent, to grant expressive freedom and aestethical autonomy to the African contemporary creation.

The project Afritudine Style invests concretely on creativity and handicrafted quality "made in Africa " promoting a new regard on the continent.

Afritudine supports financially the talent of the craftsmen and designers who work in Mali, encouraging the diffusion of the principle that quality artcraft can contribute concretely to human, economical and technical developement in the South of the World.

Afritudine finances creative projects of different workshops taking in charge the cost of production of the set of samples, giving freely machines and technical tools, agreeing sale prices with the creators, engaging itself in promoting fashion accessories 100% made in Mali.

The spirit of creations
The creations are proudly hybrid, able to synthesize pluricultural experience, ready to incorporate heterogeneous elements to elaborate them and to transform them into a gay creative language. Imagination, added value of handicraft skills, autonomous research of a new aesthetic beat the rhythm of spontaneous modernity. An aesthetical language that talk to us about urban rituals; ancient cult of colors, beauty and irony; handcraft techniques not yet replaced by the anonymous utilization of machines.

Each item is unique and exclusive. Each creation is an unique piece handmade by the creator, designer, artist or artisan.