Afrocentrism lies at the heart of KWA’s design philosophy. The jewellery brand was founded to honour the culture and traditions of the Batswana people, using materials like cowrie shells and indigenous beads and handcrafting every piece in Botswana. Its founder, LegakwanaLeo Makgekgenene, was born in Gaborone and studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, experimenting with several mediums before taking a special interest in wearable art. Now, back in her hometown, she creates jewellery in gold, silver and rose gold that incorporates traditional and natural elements in a contemporary style. We spoke to her about designing and sourcing with care, what inspires her, and why African heritage brands matter.
When did your journey as a maker begin?
Making has always been second nature to me, but it became intentional in art school. At some point, studio projects spilled over into extracurricular experiments with wearable forms: clothing, earrings, and so on. Then, during my master’s, art and dress seemed to find a conceptual and practical middle ground for me. That clarity led me to start my work with KWA, where I essentially explore how culture can live on the body.
What inspires KWA’s choice of materials?
We choose materials like cowrie shells, seedpods, and imitation pearls to honour beauty that isn’t rooted in heavy extraction. It’s about creating small signals that say value can – and does – come from naturally occurring forms and textures. We use faux pearls for now to reference their history in jewellery-making. That choice may evolve, but the principle of respectful sourcing will stay the same.
How do you approach sustainable sourcing?
We keep the chain short and visible. Job’s tears seed pods, for instance, are sourced directly from multiple suppliers in Gaborone, where they’re abundant and part of our culture. Other materials come through a ‘two-handshake’ network: someone we know can vouch for every link. We release only small, timed drops. If a material isn’t available or can’t meet our standards, the piece is paused or retired rather than compromised. The system is still evolving, but local first, limited runs guide our sourcing decisions.
How does Afrocentrism influence your design philosophy?
Afrocentrism is quite central to what KWA does, especially in the contemporary sense. We study and take inspiration from how people practise Afrocentrism today, and how they ‘design’ themselves and their lives around it. I’d say we work to mirror that energy, so our jewellery feels more like a familiar heirloom than a novelty. We want the pieces to feel like a (daily) talisman. The feeling we aim for is grounded confidence: to feel rooted in the past, but free to shape the future.
What do you draw inspiration from?
Our people inspire me, particularly the way they behave, dress, and show up in community, or just around one another. I’m inspired by what we can agree is important. I think, for the actual moment of inspiration, I don’t need any other circumstance than for them to simply be, naturally. After that initial moment, I might need some space – indoors, outdoors, close or far away – to unpack it and develop it into something.
How do you market your brand in a market where affluent consumers often favour global labels over local designers?
We focus on continental audiences who already prize cultural depth, so the “global-vs-local” tug-of-war rarely comes up for us. The affluent clients who do come our way are people actively seeking narrative or heritage, not just a globally recognised label. I think that in the small ways KWA works to centre culture, craft, and shared roots, we ‘speak their language’, so the ‘local’ label becomes a point of pride or desire.
How do you consider trends while remaining true to your brand identity?
“As much as things change, they stay the same” is pretty much what we’ve experienced. We stay trend-aware by staying close to our customers. Most insights have come from direct conversations: in the DMs, in-store visits, and custom requests. This has helped us fine-tune details without abandoning our core aesthetic. We keep an eye on industry shifts but don’t necessarily aim to keep up. Instead, we release small batches, gather feedback, and adjust only when it adds real value for our community.
Which piece of jewellery from your collection best represents the direction you’re heading in life?
Lately, I’ve been wearing the fully beaded seedpod bracelet and the cowrie bracelet a lot. I’m in an environment where the significance of these materials doesn’t read or register as easily as back home. The other day, I caught myself looking down at my wrist to check the time and saw the bracelet instead. When I think about it, maybe that could suggest, for me, that it’s time to focus on the ideas that make KWA important, and to see through the many ways they can materialise.
- All images supplied. Photographer: Ntabiseng Faith
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