Glorinah Khutso Mabaso is a designer with a passion to re-awaken the ancient cultural knowledge of the African continent. Her company, Renaissance Design, specialises in the conceptualisation and creation of modern African patterns for a variety of brands. Using design as her language, she strives to be the mouthpiece of the ancient world.
Glorinah believes in the preservation of African history through the creation of modern visual archives, documenting the continent’s heritage and wealth which lives in its people, ancient tribal sounds, textures, patterns, dance, architecture and natural surroundings.
The Himba people of Namibia are a semi-nomadic tribe. The desert is their home and their unique way of life has been shaped by this environment. They are widely known for their “red” appearance. This distinctive look is created through their application of otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre pigment which is applied to the skin and hair.