Pop-Up Pick: Holt Renfrew’s latest in-store boutique celebrates all things Africa

Pop-Up Pick: Holt Renfrew’s latest in-store boutique celebrates all things Africa

(Images: Holt Renfrew)

For spring, Holt Renfrew has created a beautiful shop-within-a-shop dedicated to African culture and design. As the second edition of the store’s H Project, brand director Alexandra Weston and fashion designer Stella Jean travelled through the continent, visiting Maasai Mara, Nairobi and parts of Rwanda, collecting stories and artisanal finds from local communities along the way. The result is an in-store boutique packed with one-of-a-kind products and colourful collaborations that celebrate some of the vast and diverse region’s many local traditions. One of our favourite collections: a series of beautifully designed straw beach bags, aprons and elaborate chokers from the women behind jewellery label Dannijo, who worked directly with a local women’s organization in Rwanda. There’s also a selection of lightweight apparel, including handmade linen jumpsuits from Ethiopia and frocks printed on traditional Kenyan khanga cloth—all of which would make great additions to a summer wardrobe. And the pop-up offers items much more affordable than typical Holts merch: decorative baskets, bottles and bowls start around $60 and shoppers can snap up hand-carved bracelets from Namibia for $26.

Through spring. At Holt Renfrew Bloor and Yorkdale. holtrenfrew.com