“WHILE ART HAS always been important to me, I only truly appreciated it upon leaving Ghana,” Barikisu Telfer tells The Journal. “To an extent, it’s easy to take what you have for granted.”
Upon relocating to Ireland from Ghana in 2013, Telfer, owner of Sahara boutique in Dún Laoghaire, immediately noted some similarities and differences in clothing and interior design in Dublin compared to her hometown. “I had travelled to the UK in the past so I knew the aesthetics of fashion and interiors would be relatively subdued than I was used to. While a European influence is present in African fashion and decor, we always add our own twist, which generally involves colours and more colours! In Ireland, I’ve found a preference for warm autumnal tones which we keep in mind when sourcing products. However, we don’t stray too far from our African-inspired style. One definite similarity I’ve noted between Ireland and Ghana is we all love floral patterns, which is great!”
In Telfer’s experience, it appeared that it wasn’t only a penchant for florals that tied people of Ghana and Ireland together, but a longstanding appreciation of craft and natural textures. Having settled into her life in Dublin, the inspiration behind this business venture began with a basket, as Telfer explains.
“Essentially, the Sahara story started with the Bolga baskets; a handmade basket originating where I’m from, in the northern part of Ghana. After holidays back home, I’d always bring a few samples for personal use and souvenirs. Out and about in Dublin, I was often asked where it could be bought. Eventually, I provided an answer to the question by hosting a series of pop-up shops in Dún Laoghaire Shopping Centre!”
She continues, “After each pop-up, I extended the range with jewellery, sculptures, soft furnishings, paintings and more. The response was amazing and I realised it was an opportunity to start my own business doing something I loved while giving back to my community in Ghana. I also wanted to give Irish consumers a thoughtfully curated experience of African art and design; something I hadn’t yet seen in Ireland.”
Building connections with Ghanese and Irish communities through Sahara has always been an integral component to both the business and Telfer on a personal level. As well as building these connections, supporting the many talented makers within Africa’s widespread and vibrant craft industry has been crucial to Sahara’s story. Telfer describes the positive impact that Sahara has had on these artisans. Fundamentally, how it has helped facilitate stability in their lives.
“There’s a robust market both regionally and internationally so artisans are more concerned with being paid a fair price than the eventual destination of their craft. Like any of us, our ability to earn a living doing something we love can provide stability, confidence and a sense of autonomy. This is particularly important within rural villages in Africa, where the young typically migrate to cities and end up with menial unfulfilling jobs,” Telfer explains.
“If we think about the current global migrant crisis and consider that most people don’t want to leave their homes, friends, family or way of life, we can recognise it’s typically financial circumstances that dictate the at times painful decision to migrate. So from this perspective, investing in their art has the potential to significantly impact their quality of life.”
One could easily spend hours exploring the stunning selection of pieces available from Sahara either online or in their beautiful store in Dún Laoghaire. There’s everything from colourful Dukus (wired headscarves) to elevate casual outfits, striking sculptures and wall hangings to brighten up your home.
As mentioned, the process of sourcing Sahara’s stock is done with great ethical consideration. “We have three main approaches to sourcing stock,” Telfer explains. “The Bolga baskets from Ghana are sourced directly from weavers in Bolgatanga Ghana. We work with a number of women’s groups to produce baskets to a set design. It’s a relatively buoyant market, so we are one of many customers they supply. Each group typically has a leader who sets pricing and handles quality assurance. We also look to the many craft markets across Africa. These markets typically have artisans selling their wares so we establish relationships with these artisans so crafts can be sourced on a more consistent basis.”
Telfer herself is also involved directly in creating some of the pieces available in Sahara’s extraordinary edit. “We also have the “Made in Ireland” branch in our stock. In this instance, inputs such as fabrics or beads will be sourced in Africa but the construction is completed here by myself.”
Since opening 3 years ago, Sahara has gone from strength to strength. However, the journey has not always been easy and, as with any venture in an enterprise, requires a leap of faith. And while the risks involved in opening a business, and also dealing with a pandemic, the level of reward outweighs everything.
“There are so many things I love about running Sahara,” says Telfer. “It’s amazing to provide customers with a unique and interesting shopping experience. Post-Covid, we’ve seen a continuing decline in the quality and variety of retail options on our high streets, with a number of retailers pulling out of the market completely. I’m hoping Sahara, along with a number of independent Irish retailers, will buck that trend and make our high streets interesting again. I always get a sense of satisfaction when people pass by the shop window, stop and stare in awe at the creations we have on display.”
She concludes, “I also love that we’re redefining perceptions of African culture with the store. Most of our customers will have never been to Africa, so we see this as an opportunity to reposition the African narrative. A narrative that has a history that is rich, bold and beautiful. A narrative with a design ethos that considers both form and function and with that, a culture to be experienced by all.”
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