Bags tell an African story

MELBOURNE: It's rare that a brand combines fashion, sustainability and the story of a far away country's changing economic landscape.

Bag and accessories label Mimitu is one such rarity. Hailing from South Africa, the label is making its debut under the auspices of its exclusive Australian importer and agent Martin Taylor.

"What sets Mimitu handbags apart is their use of farmed Springbok skins, some in their natural colour, others dyed in striking reds, greens and olives," Taylor said, adding the handbags had sold strongly in Europe as the "must have" winter accessory, a trend he hoped would be mirrored down under next winter.

Featuring around 45 styles including clutch bags, satchels big enough to contain laptops and on-trend handbags, Mimitu used leathers dyed with Mimosa and Wattle bark extracts or coloured using vegetable dyes, he said.

"Meanwhile, the manufacturer in South Africa is attempting to address unemployment -- now a major concern as Zimbabwean refugees continue to flood into South Africa -- by employing more people than machines in the manufacturing process. So while visible seams are machined, almost all the finishing is done by hand."

The bags – for which an Australian retail price had yet to be finalised as Ragtrader went to press – had proven strong sellers in the high end boutique segment of the European market, he confirmed.

While a small number of Fashion Exposed visitors had expressed concern about the use of natural, wild animal hides, the hides were the by-product of farmed animals being grown to service the European venison trade, he confirmed.

"Far from being a threatened species, the Springbok is a prolific breeder and is annually culled in its natural state by the Government in an attempt to prevent over-grazing of the veldt, which would jeopardise the survival of the other grassland species such as the zebra and buffalo."

By Belinda Smart