I went to a creative talk a few years ago in Sydney hosted by Vivid – Lights | Music | Ideas (formerly known as Creative Sydney). The talk was about next generation creatives basically saying that creatives have moved from being one-job kind of people. One of the speakers was/is an online boutique owner / founder of a creative school / owner of a creative agency as well. He is something / something / something. They termed this as being a ‘slashie’. It’s the notion of expanding yourself into different ventures for creative fulfillment and often money of course. I work one job, run Afroklectic and that’s a lot for me to take in. I feel like there are not enough hours in the day for the two tasks. So when I find out about people who do something / something / something, I have the upmost respect for them and I am blown away at how they manage it.
When I read about fellow Afro-Australian Edem Adzoa Badu in the latest edition of AfroElle – The Afropolitan Edition, I stamped slashie all over her. She’s a PR girl turned graphic designer who also run a brand known as Vintage Muse which is a distributor of hand picked natural products, remedies and fashion inspired by ancient African traditions. Vintage Muse‘s portfolio includes Ankara headwraps, 100% pure Shea Butter and Black Soap straight from her motherland Ghana. Edem ticks all the right ethical and environmental boxes with 100% fair trade, eco-friendly recyclable packaging and no animal testing, no animal fats or chemicals in the products. Move over The Body Shop!
I have corresponded with her over emails and she has a glowing character and I think this shows in the aesthetic of her brand. I can’t stress enough how important is it to create a visual experience for a brand. Time and time again I see brands come out with amazing product yet shocking visuals which weigh down the brand. I think Edem’s creative/PR experience has elevated her brand to a unique level. The packaging, the website, and product are visually in unison with a beautiful organic feel to them creating a very natural yet traditional vibe.
You can check out more about the brand and purchase items at Vintagemuse.com.au. There is also a great interview by The Skin I am In (Q&A of the Month – October Edition – Vintage Muse) with Edem which goes into more detail about how she started the brand. If you are thinking about starting some sort of business, it’s a great read for some motivation.
For the lovers of Vintage Afrika, with love from the motherland.
 SOURCE: VINTAGE MUSE