Handmade raffia bags and baskets from French brand ba&sh now in the UAE

Raffia and leather basket. Courtesy ba&sh

The contemporary French fashion brand ba&sh is known for its cool clothes and chic accessories, including jewellery, belts and bags. This summer, the label has developed a line of baskets and handbags, made in Madagascar and constructed from raffia, from the leaves of the palm trees native to the Great Red Island.

The brainchild of childhood friends Barbara Boccara and Sharon Krief, ba&sh is looking to return to craftsmanship at the grass-roots level with this new collection. The duo partnered with the three sisters behind French brand Sans Arcidet, which specialises in raffia handmade by women artisans. The new leather and raffia bags, too, are handcrafted by skilled Madagascan artists on the island itself, while the raw materials are bought directly from the raffia leaf gatherers.

“We were won over by the skill and expertise of Sans Arcidet and touched by [their] commitment to the Madagascan people. That’s why we decided to work with them on this collection, including two styles with co-branding,” the founders said.

While raffia has traditionally been relegated to beach wear, the stylised versions created for this collection work well from day to night, and can be carried along to both brunch and an evening out. “With this line, we hope to show that raffia – already a must-have for beach styles – can add a twist to an urban look for days in the city,” explained Boccara and Krief.

Get the new raffia baskets from ba&sh at City Walk, Dubai or online.