Medaniworld's Luxury Travel Bags Pay Homage to Ancient Craftsmanship

As a member of the diplomatic community at the United Nations, Sudanese-Swiss national Amal Medani has often negotiated cultural barriers and found ways to transcend them. As CEO of a leisure bag line, Medaniworld, she exported Nubian aesthetics into the west, integrating their colours, textures and ingenuity with Western vestiary traditions with the launch of her debut collection, ‘Kerma’.

“I want to curate future collections that pay homage to civilizations that are lesser-known. People don't know much about Nubian heritage,” Amal tells SceneStyled. “The bags are all named and designed with quintessential parts of our culture and heritage in mind. Hieroglyphics, the Egyptian-Zahar blue, the Iswid night colour inspired by kohl, they all speak to the inventiveness of these ancient civilizations because they are ultimately the birthmothers of luxury.”

It is not enough for fashion designers to simply make adequate bags and shoes, the industry needs a renaissance. “I believe in partnering with the developing countries I am working with,” Amal explains. “I believe in the act of partnering, not just giving donations. It's so important to think this way. Partner with them on a design that puts their skills to use, it's a long-term investment for them, and most importantly, it’s a dignified way of working with people.”

When asked about her #limitedluxurylimitedwaste initiative, Amal explains the importance of slow fashion in the global consumer landscape. “I'm not here to make 2,000 pieces from the same bag and have them sit collecting dust,” Amal says. “Nor am I trying to preach. We're all guilty of over-consuming, but it is vital we only consume what we like from now on.” True to Medani’s creed, this collection is certainly a ‘globally influenced creation’, with many more like it planned for the near future.