"Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.
"
-- Bo Derek
Aspiga
aspiga.com is a small business which has hit the ground running, selling incredibly popular leather sandals, flip flops, belts, bags and baskets all hand made in Africa.
Lucy Macnamara and aspiga
Lucy Macnamara came back from a South African holiday in 2004, with a suitcase full of beaded sandals that she had fallen in love with. The leather sandals went down so well with her friends and family and as fast as she ordered these delightful summer sandals they would sell out. As a result she went into business at the beginning of 2005, opening aspiga and selling African fashion accessories, primarily leather sandals, flip flops, leather belts, kikoys and bags.
She launched the business at a trade show early in ‘05, where she got orders from over 40 shops wanting to sell her beaded sandals, flip flops and belts across the UK, The Channel Isles and Europe. Most of the shops have re-ordered the handmade summer sandals and belts for 2006, and new shops have placed orders. Aspiga’s leather and beaded sandals, flips flops and beaded belts are now selling in over 70 shops in the UK including Fenwick of Bond Street. They are also being sold in Japan, Denmark, Germany, The Bahamas and the Island of Mustique.
Locally made Leather Sandals and belts
All the products are hand made in Africa, where local men and women hand sew on the decorative beads on to the leather sandals and belts, which ensures no two products are identical. All of aspiga’s products are not only fashionable and stylish but are also incredibly comfortable and hard wearing, which means all of them become a day to day item and an absolute must for taking on holiday.
When Lucy is asked what she likes most about running aspiga.com and what makes her happy about the company she says “Apart from being able to go to wonderful countries to design and source products, I am proud of the fact I am helping (all be it in a very small way) the fragile economy of a third world county and giving people jobs. One of my suppliers recently sent me message saying “God Bless you for the order, it makes us all very happy and ensures our livelihoods”. I now have six different suppliers in different parts of Kenya”. “I also love seeing people looking good wearing the leather beaded belts or beaded sandals and am thrilled that they are so popular.”
She goes on to say “I am now also sourcing from Chile in South American (another wonderful and beautiful country), which has some fantastic leather accessories. I want all my products to be unique, stylish and wearable that also come with a little bit of flavour from their home countries”
Summer 06 Collection of Leather Beaded Sandals
This summer sees the launch of the new aspiga website introducing the Summer ’06 Collection where they have significantly expanded their range of leather sandals and have a wide variety of new styles (including wedge heels and suede greek style sandals) and many vibrant colours. After numerous requests, they are now also doing flip flops for men and children.
They have also introduced some wonderful reed and beaded baskets, which are not only great for the beach, but are excellent environmentally friendly shopping baskets. There are colourful kikoys, kikoy towels and a new range of their popular beaded belts and beaded collars and leads which are the ultimate accessory for man’s best friend!
aspiga are also doing their bit to fight poverty in Africa through their trade policy, suppliers are individuals not factories, giving much needed work to men and women in the local communities. For every pair of disc or multi disc leather beaded sandals sold from the site aspiga is donating £1 to the Brydges Centre Orphanage, Ngong Town just outside Nairobi. For every reed basket sold from the site £1 is donated to Friends of the Earth.
So why not indulge yourself - Lucy and the team at aspiga look forward to a long hot, sandal wearing summer !!
