LOEWE × Indego Africa
Reengineering an Icon Through Craft
Working with LOEWE and a weaving cooperative of genocide survivors in rural Rwanda, I helped translate an iconic handbag into braided raffia. When early samples revealed challenges in achieving the required form and consistency, I traveled to the cooperative to work directly with master weavers, developing practical tools and processes that connected luxury design specifications with traditional handcraft.
Product Development · Technical Design · Artisan Collaboration · Production Engineering · Quality Control · Problem Solving
Color was part of the conversation. The tools weren't.
The Opportunity
Global partners were communicating through standardized Pantone references, while many of the artisans producing their products didn't have access to the same physical and digital tools.
Creating access to a global design language.
The Partnership
The initiative brought together physical Pantone tools, digital resources and training, creating a shared system for communicating color between artisans and international brand partners.
The idea, in practice.
From Strategy to Application
The Bigger Idea
Better product development doesn't always start with a product.
Sometimes the opportunity is identifying the missing tool, relationship or process that makes better work possible.