So do you have a particular tote bag style that you default to? Or maybe you just grab whatever is available. We love to bring you new totes bags, not only are the practical and useful but they are a fun and easy way to inject some colour and cheer into everyday life.

Here’s what we have.

1. Geometric

You like your straight lines and uncomplicated geometry. Something simple but still interesting, big enough for grocery shopping or an overnight stay but not too big.

If that is your style, the Cube tote is just what you are looking for.

2. Classic-ish

You like your traditional tote bag. Portable, folds away easily and you can pop it into a larger bag for when you need that extra bit of space.

The thing is, you have loads of those already so the Bee Bag, gives just that little extra twist with its pleated style.

3. Oversized

Are you an everything plus the kitchen sink kinda person? Well we have the Tommy tote just for your.

It is a market-style shopper with loads of room, inner pockets and made of sturdy Aso-oke cloth from Nigeria.

Grocery shopping, a day at the beach, books and magazines. Anything goes!

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From breakdancing to the formative era of hip-hop, the boom box was certainly an ubiquitous part of the culture. The very first DVD I ever bought was the movie Breakin which I had watched as a child and could never get over the incredible dancing in it!

We have reimagined the boom box in this stark minimalist style on a tee shirt just for you. It is very much inspired by my equal fascination with black and white line drawings and how such a simple medium of communication can be so effective.

The Retro Boom Box Tee is a women’s t-shirt that comes in a relaxed fit with soft and smooth fabric. It makes for a comfortable everyday t-shirt which can be layered of trousers, jeans or a skirt.

We may add a men’s version, so if you are interested, do drop us a comment.

Look out for more to come in our architect’s line drawing range of t-shirt designs.

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This autumn, Tate Modern will stage the first UK exhibition to trace the development of modern art in Nigeria. Spanning a period from indirect colonial rule to national independence and beyond, Nigerian Modernism will celebrate an international network of artists who combined African and European traditions, creating a vibrant artistic legacy. The exhibition will present the work of over 50 artists across 50 years, from Ben Enwonwu to El Anatsui. They each responded to Nigeria’s evolving political and social landscape by challenging assumptions and imagining new futures, reclaiming Indigenous traditions to create a new African vision of Modernism. Featuring more than 250 works, including painting, sculpture, textile, ceramics and works on paper from institutions and private collections across Africa, Europe and the US, it offers a rare opportunity to encounter the creative forces who revolutionised modern art in Nigeria.

The exhibition will begin in the 1940s amid calls for decolonisation across Africa and its diaspora. With the Nigerian education system under British governance, many artists trained in Britain, adopting European artistic techniques and witnessing Western modernism’s fixation on African art. The balance between Nigeria’s Indigenous traditions, colonial realities and calls for independence was evident in the practices of artists, many of whom became involved in arts education and reform. Aina Onabolu pioneered new figurative portraits of Lagos society figures, whilst Akinola Lasekan depicted scenes from Yoruba legends and history. Globally celebrated artists of the period, Ben Enwonwu and Ladi Kwali, combined their Western training with Nigerian visual art traditions. Drawing upon his knowledge of Igbo sculpture, Enwonwu adapted his Slade School education to celebrate the beauty of Black and African culture. Meanwhile, Kwali who trained under British potter Michael Cardew at Pottery Training Centre in Abuja, developed a new style of ceramic art that synthesised traditional Gwarri techniques and European studio pottery.

National independence on 1 October 1960 inspired a sense of optimism throughout the country, with artistic groups creating art for a new nation. The exhibition will look at the legacy of The Zaria Arts Society whose members included Uche Okeke, Demas Nwoko, Yusuf Grillo, Bruce Onobrakpeya and Jimo Akolo. Encouraged by teachers like Clara Etso Ugbodaga-Ngu, they developed independent creative styles centred around a concept of ‘Natural Synthesis’, merging Indigenous forms with modern expression. In the 1960s amid an economic boom, Lagos became a dynamic cultural hub, inspiring tropical modernist architecture, public art commissions and nightclubs filled with Highlife music. Meanwhile in Ibadan, The Mbari Artists’ and Writers’ Club founded by German publisher Ulli Beier, offered a discursive space run by an international group of artists, writers and dramatists including Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Malangatana Ngwenya. The Mbari Club was closely associated with the influential Pan-African modernist journal Black Orpheus, which will be displayed at Tate Modern.

During this period, many artists reflected on Nigeria’s rich cultural and religious heritage as home to more than 250 ethnic groups. The late 1950s saw the emergence of the New Sacred Art Movement, founded by Austrian born artist Susanne Wenger who drew on Yoruba deities and beliefs to explore the ritual power of art. The group led the restoration of the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove where ancient shrines were adorned with cement sculptures and carvings. In parallel, The Oshogbo Art School emerged out of series of influential workshops at Duro Ladipo’s Popular Bar providing a space for experimentation among untrained artists and performers including Nike Davies-Okundaye, Jacob Afolabi and Twins Seven Seven who explored Yoruba cultural identity and personal mythologies in their work.

The outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967 caused a cultural and political crisis for many artists. The post-independence feeling of optimism and unity were replaced with division, and later a desire to reconnect across Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups. The exhibition will look to the revival of ‘uli’ – linear Igbo designs which can be decorative or represent natural elements and everyday objects. Historically passed down between women, artists like Uche Okeke who had inherited this knowledge from his mother, and those from the Nsukka Art School including Obiora Udechukwu, Tayo Adenaike and Ndidi Dike, adapted this visual language as a modernist art form, reclaiming an element of ancestral culture and reflecting on the struggles of conflict during the Nigerian Civil War.

The exhibition will end with a spotlight on Uzo Egonu, exploring how artists towards the end of the 20th century began to respond to global Nigerian identities. Living in Britain since the 1940s, Egonu’s work was informed by his perspective as an expatriate, creating works imbued by his childhood memories and feelings of nostalgia, as well as his response to current events, observed from overseas. The exhibition will bring together Egonu’s Stateless People paintings, the first time these works have been reunited in 40 years. Begun in 1980, the series reflects on questions of nationhood and cultural identity. Depicting a single figure in each painting – a musician, artist and writer – Egonu represents the growing visibility of Nigeria’s diaspora around the world. The series sums up the tension between national identity and artistic independence which shaped Nigeria’s story of modern art.

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Aso oke is a handwoven cloth from Nigeria, usually of cotton. The thread was traditionally spun by women, whilst the weaving of the textile done by men. It is woven in narrow strips which are then sewn together to form a larger piece of cloth.

This weaving is a time consuming skill that is passed on within families. It produces bold, geometric and striking patterns that are perfect for home decor and in particular cushions and pillows.

You can go for the super colourful, the patchwork or even the minimal. We continue to add to our growing collection so do stay tuned.

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Our signature giant scarves are not only colourful and fun to wear but will give you quite the stylish, ready for winter look. Here are some ways to style them.

Loop the loop

The go to wrap style for most of us. You can let the ends run wild and do their own thing or you could tuck them into your coat or jacket for extra cosiness and a more streamlined look.

layer and volume

The beauty of a voluminous scarf is that you can create your own statement look which you can change each time your wear it. Wrap around your neck and then proceed to tuck the short ends around the already formed loop to create a nice volume. Extra warmth around the chest area is a bonus.

stack em

Why not stack two of your favourite snood scarves for a bit of fun, perfect for those long walks or commutes where you are not interested in entertaining even the slightest of chills!

So how do you wear yours

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I am also a fan of denim in all forms. It is a cotton material, yet durable and universal. These ideas have all come together in the upcycled denim cube tote bag.

It is made from still useable parts of jeans that have come to the end of their useful lives as clothing. I have used cuts from jeans that have been well worn, mended and then worn some more! They were beyond any further mending and have found a new purpose as a versatile tote bag.

It is a sturdy tote, for grocery shopping, carrying books, as a weekend bag, anything. In keeping with our use of authentic African textiles, the bag is lined internally with a blue Ankara print from Ghana.

The bag is a one-off and will be one of our many explorations into reusing and repurposing materials in our Originals section.

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They are what you choose to make them. The are small, so fit easily into a larger bag and because they are brightly coloured, you can spot them easily in the dark depths of your handbag or rucksack.

FUNKY FABRIC

You can choose from out range of eye-popping colours and fabrics; a mix of Nigerian, Ghanaian and South African prints; batiks, wax prints, shweshwe and more.

EASY GIFTING

Be it a single pouch or a selection of three or more, the zipper pouch is an easy choice. You can’t really go wrong as everyone has a use for them.

Check them out: Zipper pouches

The post Afrocentric Stocking Fillers appeared first on Urbanknit.

The fun with cushions is that you can mix and match as you like. They don’t even have to be the same colour or match your sofa or chair, especially if you want to go for contrasts. They are such an easy way to update a space without a huge outlay.

In this collection, the cushions are 45 X 45 cm (18 x 18 inches).

Check them out in the Cushions section.

The post Berry and Blue Aso oke Throw Pillows appeared first on Urbanknit.

Some people call it a snood, some call it a neckwarmer, cowl and even more recently, we have seen it referred to as a neck gaiter. Whatever you choose to call it, it is a compact, hands-free alternative to a long scarf.

They are made in a soft luxurious Peruvian wool which is 100% natural, 100% renewable and biodegradable too. Wool is breathable and warm making it just the thing for the winter weather.

We’ve got cream, we’ve got grey, pink, black and more. Go over to our scarf section and see which one takes your fancy. The Funky Wool Snood Scarf is also a very easy gift option. One size fits all and you have various colour options. You can also have them gift-wrapped and sent directly to the gift recipient. So sit back and let us do the work! You can of course just treat yourself too.

The post The Funky Wool Snood Scarf appeared first on Urbanknit.

At two metres in length you can wrap it round many times and tie it in different ways to suit your style and/or outfit. In a bold yolk yellow colour, you will also brighten up your winter days with this snuggly scarf.

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