Aïssa Dione is the woman behind the painting and textile design company called by her name; Aïssa Dione Tissus. After growing up with a Senegal born father and French mother, she was influenced with the fashion world, as well as the african roots within her family. Ever since a young age, Aïssa knew she wanted to make a career in the art world so when she turned 20, she moved to Senegal.

Even in the first moments of her career, Aïssa had to use entrepreneur related values. One time, she was trying to sell a painting to a client who said that he could not buy it until his office was redecorated. Instead of waiting and taking no for an answer, Aïssa used her artistic knowledge and offered to redecorate it herself. Her result was so impressive, and used such unique techniques that it was this event that helped her boost her career. She “combined her own artistic knowledge with traditional local techniques, such as Mandjaque weaving, to fashion bands of linen used in home interiors and furniture coverings. To create just the right look, she even built a new weaving loom to prepare the fabrics she wanted to use. The result was a success and the local media took an interest in the work she had produced. Such media attention caught the eye of a prominent European designer who saw photographs of her fabrics in an article which appeared in an airline magazine, and soon she began receiving international orders.” Says the Lionesses of Africa website, in which she was chosen as one of Africa’s Women Entrepreneurs featured.

In Aïssa’s business, she combines original designs, knowledge, and artisan work to create an extremely valuable product made of African grown cotton. She can boast about her products being made “100% in Senegal” and has succeeded in building a high quality fabric brand from the knowledge the country had recollected over the years. Because of this, she today has a business in which she employs more than 100 Africans and is the top seller to interior designers around the world. Her products and designs are used in big fashion brands such as Hermes, Fendi, and Peter Marino.

What once started as a dream to Aïssa; to “connect the mill with our cotton growers and in this way we restore the entire production chain." Has now become a big company that helps not only the production chain in Africa, but the whole world as well. She is giving the country and continent a great reputation and we hope that she serves as a leader and inspiration to many other young designers.