The Unity Collection by BeadWORKS Kenya

Posted on March 4, 2024

by jo

Shoots always feel more gratifying when there’s a deep background story and this united creative venture delivers just that. The Unity Collection is a collaboration of BeadWORKS in Northern Kenya and their European partners Sara Collins and Xenia von Poser.

The idea of crafting a jewellery collection that would connect women around the globe originated back in January 2023 during a visit to meet the beaders of BeadWORKS in Northern Kenya. A fair-trade certified social enterprise, BeadWORKS creates opportunities for 1300 pastoralist women across Northern Kenya to translate their traditional skills into a thriving business.

Generations of artistry informs the beautiful designs of beaded jewellery these woman make, their heritage richly woven between the bold colours gives these pieces an invaluable charismatic charm. For the shoot we worked with vibrant blue beaded pieces that I was excited to mirror in the makeup using my Le Maqpro Palette to bring that same pop of blue to the eyelids.

Crafting a complimentary makeup look also meant embracing the connection and bond between women globally that this collection represents by celebrating beautiful natural skin with a delicate approach. Formulating a blend of super hydrating skincare using Weleda’s Skinfood and taking a less is more approach with Ariane Poole’s Face Tint and Concealer to perfect a glowing complexion.

I’m really pleased to have been a part of this celebration of female talent and how the shoot turned out, especially thanks to the history of BeadWORKS being utilised as a powerful force in supporting the growing movement to transform lives by promoting peaceful community partnerships. Fully committed to conserving natural resouces and wildlife through self-governed, community owned conservancies and sustainable, social and ethical enterprise, I couldn’t think of a better business to spend your money with.

Enjoy, Jo x