Carol has the honour of serving on the board of the Norval Foundation and is also the founder of the Mbokodo Awards for Women in the arts, so it is little wonder that we now have a second bag inspired by a ground breaking and much lauded art icon in South Africa. Dr. Esther Mahlangu is a much loved figure across the world and her geometric paintings adorn cars, aeroplanes, time pieces and now she has partnered with a local brand to release her very own bag. A true labour of love for Dr Esther Mahlangu who shares Carol's passion for bags.
Image of Dr. Esther Mahlangu by Clint strydom
Dr Esther Mahlangu is a multi-award winning visual artist, and much loved South African cultural ambassador. She was born in 1935 and has been painting since she was 10 years old.
The bold Ndebele inspired artworks for which she is globally acclaimed grace many of the world’s most respected museums, private, public and corporate collections. Many experts believe that any important Pan African Contemporary collection cannot be considered complete without including one of her works.
Whilst firmly anchored in her traditional Ndebele culture, and choosing to live in rural Mpumalanga, Dr Mahlangu continues to spend considerable time in many of the world’s largest and most modern cities collaborating with museums, art fairs, curators, celebrities and respected global brands.
She is considered a visionary and a disruptor, being the first person to reimagine traditional Ndebele design in contemporary mediums, and she has painted anything from canvas, walls, ceramic pots, sneakers and doors to cars, aeroplanes, bicycles, motorbikes and skateboard decks.
This has led her to well-known global collaborations with the likes of Rolls-Royce, BMW, Fiat, South African Airways, British Airways, John Legend, Belvedere Vodka, The Smithsonian Museum, Freshpak Rooibos, and many others.
In 2018 Dr Mahlangu was presented with two honorary doctorates, in 2019 she was appointed as Officer of Arts and Letters which is Frances highest decoration for contribution to the arts, the Department of Arts and Culture published a book in her honour and she received an award from the United Nations in Johannesburg.
In 2020 she became the first artist in the world to be commissioned to paint an artwork for the ‘gallery’ of a new Rolls-Royce Phantom that they named ‘The Mahlangu’ in her honour.
Dr Mahlangu is exclusively represented by The Melrose Gallery.
A woman’s relationship with her handbag is something sacred, that develops over many years and there are unspoken rituals and rules between them. Some women never put their bags on the floor, some never let anyone else touch them, ever! Some will buy the same style in every colour, while others carry their entire lives in a single bag!
Where you purchase your bag is also a part of how you communicate who you are, that is why Carol Bouwer based her first boutique at one of the most premium addresses in South Africa, the One&Only Hotel. The One&Only whispers luxury and refinement, which is the very DNA of every Carol Bouwer bag. This partnership is history in the making and it is our hope that our presence, makes the international One&Only brand accessible and imaginable for all.
Carol Bouwer bags are made in Cape Town and we adhere to exacting standards, using the very best materials South Africa has to offer. Our local team have trained over many years and this artisanal mastery will continue to grow as the brand grows. Job creation is at the core of what we do and we insist on keeping all our production local. We believe that it is important to instill pride in South African brands and that premium brands don’t necessarily always have to come from foreign lands. This is a prime example of beneficiation in action.
We pride ourselves on the fact that every signature Carol Bouwer Bags is beautifully crafted, with the best materials, sourced responsibly here in South Africa.
In a collaboration that celebrates the heritage of South Africa, Carol Bouwer Bags and Dr. Esther Mahlangu have come together to unveil 50 custom Carol Bouwer handbags, each featuring the artworks of Dr. Esther Mahlangu. The collection, curated by these African pioneers, is considered a standout in both the world of fashion and art. The bags will be launched at The Melrose Gallery, and this morning we're joined by Craig Mark the director of The Melrose gallery and CEO of Carol Bouwer Bags, Carol Bouwer
“What an exciting time for us to share this bag with the collectors of Mam Esther’s art, our bag collectors and the art world at large. The collection is testament to Africa’s endowment and beauty, and tribute to the fact that luxury is not foreign to our land. Each bag is a proud display of African ‘craftswomanship’ and pioneering in the sense that luxury local fashion can now be regarded as a collector’s item,” says Carol Bouwer, CEO of Carol Bouwer Bags.
“To present Mam Esther with a gift she values so dearly has been such a delight. Upon learning of what Carol and the gallery were cooking, I had to grab the opportunity to partake in such a ground-breaking collaboration. South Africa is rich with natural beauty and it is time we shared it with the world,” - Amanda Dambuza
Carol is a speaker, children and women’s rights activist, television producer and businesswoman. She is an independent and forthright thinker.
Carol Bouwer is working hard to create her own niche in the business sector while retaining platforms to recognise the role women play in the social, political and economic development of South Africa.
With each of the bags having an attached anecdote to them on their site, Bouwer brings a personal touch to the world of luxury. Whether slung over the shoulder or a smaller bag held tightly against the body, whoever carries the bag is holding a little part of Bouwer’s story.
On bags such as the Dr Esther Mahlangu Bag (named after the famed Ndebele mural artist), a luxury handbag becomes more than just a handbag, but an exchange of black womanhood and culture.
Let’s throw it back to the launch of the Carol Bouwer x Dr. Esther Mahlangu handbags hosted The Melrose Gallery in partnership with Boschendal wines. A night to remember
The bags are crafted from locally and ethically sourced python, ostrich and crocodile skin, with some bags featuring a sophisticated python-ostrich skin hybrid.
10 The High Street, Melrose Arch, Johannesburg
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