The simple, little black dress is a statement piece in itself, but nothing elevates it more than some carefully selected jewellery. A chunky necklace or delicate, dangling earrings have the power to make any one-coloured, casual ensemble pop and look like an outfit straight out of a fashion magazine. If you want to add to your African jewellery collection to ensure you have enough pieces to mix and match with different outfits, look no further! We have compiled a list of the top 4 female jewellery designers from Africa for you.

RiRi Jewellery (Kenya)

Founder of RiRi Jewellery, Njuhi Chege, discovered her love for jewellery at a young age. She is fascinated by bold and bright pieces and always finds inspiration at Nairobi’s famous Maasai Market. Throughout her travels, she noticed that people were drawn to her jewellery which motivated her to source the most magical pieces and sell them as a means to introduce the rest of the world to her rich, Kenyan culture. RiRi Jewellery is known for its unique textures and vibrant colours and the use of recycled wood, glass, semi-precious stone, brass and upcycled horn and bone.

Meraki Jewellery Design (South Africa)

Based in Cape Town, Meraki Jewellery Designer, Megan Keyser, has made a name for herself by focusing her timeless sterling silver and recycled brass pieces on the geometric forms she finds in nature. Meraki Jewellery Design offers a versatile collection of pieces ranging from playful to elegant and sophisticated. She embraces the natural imperfections in her work and sees them for what they truly are: unique, inimitable pieces that reflect the wearers personality.

Bimbeads Concept (Nigeria)

Bimbola Balogun is not only the CEO of Bimbeads Concept, an online store famous for its beaded jewellery and gem stone designs, she is also the publisher of Beadmania, a magazine dedicated to the craft of beading and jewellery design. Bimbeads Concept offers stunning collections of jewellery, the most extravagant of the moment being the Abike Premium Collection, which is made up of gorgeous statement necklaces inspired by the natural elements of the spring and summer season: bright colours, floral details and beaded bling.

Nyumbani Design (Tanzania)

Founded by fashion production and development specialist, Kerry Glanfield, the Nyumbani Design pieces draw inspiration from architectural shapes and natural landscapes. Each collection is focused on different architectural or natural elements, such as the Architectural Shadow collection which offers daring shapes that defy the usual style of jewellery.