The Manyatta Beaded Bag, Grey/Red

These exquisitely beaded bags are handmade by the Antassia collective in Northern Kenya. Founded in 2008 by Antonia Stogdale in partnership with the Mokogodo Maasai women of the Lekurruki Group Ranch, today the project brings together 120 Maasai “mamas” who bead using traditional methods refined with modern innovations, such as a distinctive double-threading technique that creates a tight, elegant weave.

During the day, the women are occupied with family responsibilities; in the evenings, they work by solar light in their manyattas (huts), sustaining their traditional Maasai way of life. Each bag is the result of two to three weeks of painstaking artistry. Payment is determined by weight, so every bead becomes income—supporting food security, children’s education, and independence for the women who choose how to direct their earnings. 

Every bag is unique: crafted by Mokogodo Maasai women from brilliant glass beads and stitched onto a traditional camel blanket for sturdiness. The finishing touches are added in Nairobi’s economically marginalized community of Kibera, where artisans craft straps from recycled Kenyan leather, line each bag with vibrant kanga cloth, and embellish it with a recycled brass elephant.

The result is a refined, one-of-a-kind piece that can be carried as a clutch or worn crossbody—a piece alive with tradition, artistry, and community spirit.