WendyL’artisane(WLA) where each piece of jewellery is a meticulously prepared work of art individually conceptualised and produced with care and precision.
They are modelled and then produced by the hands of talented craftsmen. Every twist of metal and delicate placement of gems is carefully set with painstaking accuracy. At WLA you can be assured of quality. There is no compromise on the finish whether it is uniquely personalised design or pieces of jewellery made in volume for corporate clients. Every piece receives the same care and attention.
Ultimately, what makes every piece special is that it is fused with the artisan’s passion and the distinctive essence of WLA customers in mind. It is a labour of love and a sparkling playground for imagination and virtuosity.
Wendy Smith Walker is a Ghanaian entrepreneur and successful businesswoman who is into jewellery making and specialises in beads. Her beads have adorned the necks of many celebrities, both local and foreign. She uses beads from Ghana and makes wonderful sets of jewellery from them.
Wendy was the main Accra Vibrant Street Carnival artistic designer; for three years, she designed costumes for the carnivals in Kalabar in Nigeria. She dressed some ladies for the world cup trophy in 2013 and people thought they were Brazilians until they spoke the local dialect.
Wendy L’artisanne is her company and brand name. An old student of Cambridge Preparatory School, Ebenezer Elementary School, Ebenezer Secondary School and Goethe Institute, she further travelled to study in Germany and went on to Switzerland to study Fashion Designing. She has two sons and the younger one according to Wendy loves to design jewellery’s as well and she is grateful there is a chance of handing over her business to her son one day.
Growing up with her parents, Wendy saw them used beads for their curtains. She lived in beads and played with beads. Beads were her toys if I should say. That’s where it all started for such a creative and talented businesswoman.
It is interesting to note that Wendy’s parents were never into jewellery making but rather used the beads as décor in the house. Wendy has fresh memories of those moments where it all started right here in Accra, many years ago.
Wendy has travelled across the world especially Europe, selling beads to customers and new clients as well. She always makes sure she represents Ghana abroad with her beads. One would wonder what actually goes into jewellery making? Wendy stated that so many natural materials go into it. Like coconut husks, seashells, glass, porcupine pins, and anything durable through which holes can be made.
It is amazing to once again note that Wendy picks some of the natural materials herself like seashells from the seashore and coconut husks. Some of the materials she uses are bought from abroad anytime she travels but confirms that a larger portion of her materials is from Ghana. She also uses a lot of original ‘Krobo’ beads that are very expensive and in very high demand abroad.
She has a training programme which lasts for a period of about six weeks – this extended duration ensures that her skills and experiences are passed on well. What makes Wendy L’artisanne unique and special from other brands in the quality, designs and theme of each of her designs.
The complexity and charm that comes with Wendy’s beads all make it adorable and special. She said to African Post Online, “What I can say is that I don’t see any brands on the market that can be compared to mine. If you spot any products that are mine, you can easily point them out confidently and say, these are Wendy L’artisanne”. Having seen Wendy’s products, I couldn’t agree more because her designs draw attention even from afar. “One more thing is that my products are also for stage use. There’re no limitations for my products; I don’t see any limitations at all for my brand. Not now, not tomorrow.” Wendy stated. “That’s very powerful, spiritual and deep.” I chipped in.
I gazed at Wendy when she said she would have a headache to remember all the events and programs she had the opportunity to showcase her brand. She designs for all the key beauty pageants – Miss World, Miss Ghana, Ghana’s Most Beautiful, Miss Earth, Face of the Universe, and Miss Malaika etc. she couldn’t recollect all, she paused and said, ‘in fact, they’re innumerable’. It means you have made so much money Wendy, I said. “Hmmm! In this industry, it takes the grace of God”, Wendy answered with a graceful smile.
Mostly Wendy customises products for clients according to their specification. Special designs are made to suit clients for special occasions such as weddings, naming ceremonies, engagements, birthday parties, and carnivals etc.
With two children, Wendy exclaimed, “O my! It’s not easy to combine and balance all responsibilities. The church takes part of my time; I’m a chorister in my church. My work, family, Bible classes, and other things make me very busy; you can tell by the number of times I turned you down. I know one thing, when God takes you to something, He leads you through it”.
Most of her clients are from abroad. According to Wendy, most Ghanaian ladies don’t dress with heavy jewellery because they fear to show off or stand out and be labelled as overdressed, unlike the Nigerians. Most of her clients are Nigerians and some others from Cameroun, Cote D’Ivoire, Lomé, Abidjan and Europe.
Wendy feels the business is not so lucrative here in Ghana and that it’s better to expand sales abroad. To be able to keep the business going, it is important to spread your wings wide and fly across and keep an eagle watch and sharp ears too. You must travel to discover where you can sell them. A lot of research work goes into keeping the business going. She has lots of positive feedback from her clients as most of who recommend her all the time.
I asked her if her clients abroad are sensitive to the fact that her products are from Ghana. “Yes! When they see the Krobo beads, they are amazed. I don’t take glass beads with to my clients in Europe. I give them the rich Krobo beads. And they love it. My dream has always been to represent my country Ghana very well, so there’s no way I’d carry glass beads and beads from China to them. Our Krobo beads are very rich and strong. They will only break if you hit them on a hard surface with force”, said Wendy.
Don’t be surprised to see Wendy L’artisan brand all over the world in five years time. In Bollywood, Nollywood, Hollywood and here in our own Ghallywood.
Some celebrities Wendy designs for are Kalsoum Sinare, Pascaline Edwards, Genevieve Nnaji, Nadia Buari and many more. It’s a long list of celebrities. “Sometimes when we meet at shows, they come to the backseat where I am and say, please Wendy put something around my neck for me. We get along very well. I remember that recently, I did something for Becca for a particular show … the shows are innumerable”, She said with smiles.
Renate Dzodzomenyo – African Post Online
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Renate is a lawyer, publicist, and writer. She believes that education and information is the key to developing and shaping Africa. In her free time, she paints beautiful art pieces on canvas. Renate believes that life is a perception, and you live it the way you perceive it.
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