The
journey
From Liberia, with Love…
Wax & Wonder designs, produces and retails modern apparel and lifestyle products that embody the beauty, uniqueness and diversity of the African culture. Born out of a desire to share… and provide steady opportunities to Liberia’s skilled artisan communities, our merchandise are authentically and carefully handmade in Monrovia, Liberia by a team of dedicated artisans.
From the heart of Liberia, we share our contemporary, sustainable products with our core audience, the Afropolitan woman. She lives anywhere in the world and appreciates our products because while she is grounded in her culture, she is worldly, stylish, sophisticated and socially conscious.
From the heart of Liberia, we share our contemporary, sustainable products with our core audience, the Afropolitan woman. She lives anywhere in the world and appreciates our products because while she is grounded in her culture, she is worldly, stylish, sophisticated and socially conscious.
our commitment
[…Transformative Impact…]
At Afropolitan we believe in the African proverb that “the seeds we sow today determine the fruits we bear tomorrow.” Essentially, we believe in creating beautiful tomorrows, for both our crafts and the planet, by empowering the women and men with whom we work and cultivating environmental stewardship whenever possible.
We maintain transparent and accountable relationships with producers, some of which have journeyed with us since we opened in 2010.
We practice building local capacity through workshops and training. We ensure that our employees have a safe, secure and nondiscriminatory environment to work. We up-cycle fabric scraps to create one of a kind hand-patched products.
We are also committed to sharing Afro print with the world; we believe it will make it a better place.
our commitment
[…Transformative Impact…]
At Afropolitan we believe in the African proverb that “the seeds we sow today determine the fruits we bear tomorrow.” Essentially, we believe in creating beautiful tomorrows, for both our crafts and the planet, by empowering the women and men with whom we work and cultivating environmental stewardship whenever possible.
We maintain transparent and accountable relationships with producers, some of which have journeyed with us since we opened in 2010.
We practice building local capacity through workshops and training. We ensure that our employees have a safe, secure and nondiscriminatory environment to work. We up-cycle fabric scraps to create one of a kind hand-patched products.
We are also committed to sharing Afro print with the world; we believe it will make it a better place.
the founder
Tianna Sherman-Kesselly, the Founder of Afropolitan, was born in Liberia, but spent most of her formative years in the United States. She has always been into wearing African print, as it was a way for her to express her Liberian culture. As a young-adult, she started to create her own designs, which tended to reflect styles seen in US pop culture, but with African fabrics.
In 2008, utilizing her degrees from Tufts University and George Washington University, Tianna moved back to post-conflict Liberia as an International Development consultant to the local government.
the founder
Tianna Sherman-Kesselly, the Founder of Afropolitan, was born in Liberia, but spent most of her formative years in the United States. She has always been into wearing African print, as it was a way for her to express her Liberian culture. As a young-adult, she started to create her own designs, which tended to reflect styles seen in US pop culture, but with African fabrics.
In 2008, utilizing her degrees from Tufts University and George Washington University, Tianna moved back to post-conflict Liberia as an International Development consultant to the local government. She observed that there were many talented artisans, who with some training and guidance could tailor her creative attires. She also came to believe that if these contemporary African designs were accessible to the international market, global citizens would appreciate it and the artisans could be economically empowered. And so, an opportunity presented itself for Tianna to share a part of her culture while helping local artisans in Liberia improve their standards of living in a sustainable way.
Afropolitan, Liberia was thus birthed in 2010 with the opening of its Flagship Store in the heart of downtown Monrovia. Six years later, the brand was introduced to the United States market.
She observed that there were many talented artisans, who with some training and guidance could tailor her creative attires. She also came to believe that if these contemporary African designs were accessible to the international market, global citizens would appreciate it and the artisans could be economically empowered. And so, an opportunity presented itself for Tianna to share a part of her culture while helping local artisans in Liberia improve their standards of living in a sustainable way.
Afropolitan, Liberia was thus birthed in 2010 with the opening of its Flagship Store in the heart of downtown Monrovia. Six years later, the brand was introduced to the United States market.
FEATURED ON
Press
- The Best Places To Buy Face Masks Online
- 36 Face Masks So Good You'll Want To Send Them To Friends
- 22 Incredibly Fashionable Black-Owned Brands You Need To Know
- Creating Jobs and Impact in Liberia
- Liberia: Starting a Business in an Environment with Capacity Constraints
- Liberian Designer Uses Fashion to Showcase Growth
- Hello Beautiful
Press
- The Best Places To Buy Face Masks Online
- 36 Face Masks So Good You'll Want To Send Them To Friends
- 22 Incredibly Fashionable Black-Owned Brands You Need To Know
- Creating Jobs and Impact in Liberia
- Liberia: Starting a Business in an Environment with Capacity Constraints
- Liberian Designer Uses Fashion to Showcase Growth
- Hello Beautiful
PRESS
- The Best Places To Buy Face Masks Online
- 36 Face Masks So Good You'll Want To Send Them To Friends
- 22 Incredibly Fashionable Black-Owned Brands You Need To Know
- Creating Jobs and Impact in Liberia
- Liberia: Starting a Business in an Environment with Capacity Constraints
- Liberian Designer Uses Fashion to Showcase Growth
- Hello Beautiful
THE TALENTS
In Liberia, many young people grow up with limited access to work. Afropolitan grooms and showcases the talents of local Liberian seamstresses and tailors thereby helping them gain confidence in themselves and their own skills. They beam with excitement when they see garments they’ve created on clients.
The vibrant fabrics used to make Wax and Wonder’s items are generally sourced locally from market-women, weavers of local Liberian “country-cloth,” and tie-dye makers. Buying locally is of essence to Afropolitan as it helps contribute to the community at large.
the talents
In Liberia, many young people grow up with limited access to work. Afropolitan grooms and showcases the talents of local Liberian seamstresses and tailors thereby helping them gain confidence in themselves and their own skills. They beam with excitement when they see garments they’ve created on clients.
The vibrant fabrics used to make Afropolitan’s items are generally sourced locally from market-women, weavers of local Liberian “country-cloth,” and tie-dye makers. Buying locally is of essence to Afropolitan as it helps contribute to the community at large.
the ambassadors
In 2016, Afropolitan was introduced to the US market with a remarkable team of Brand Ambassadors, whose love for Afro-print fashion and the positive projection of all things Diaspora bound them. Together, these women of varying ages, professional backgrounds and lifestyles, have hosted commission-based trunk shows and pop-up events in Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington, and the Washington, DC Metro Area.
the ambassadors
In 2016, Afropolitan was introduced to the US market with a remarkable team of Brand Ambassadors, whose love for Afro-print fashion and the positive projection of all things Diaspora bound them. Together, these women of varying ages, professional backgrounds and lifestyles, have hosted commission-based trunk shows and pop-up events in Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington, and the Washington, DC Metro Area.
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