I found the queen of necklaces in the heart of Abidjan. She had a little station at the back of the crafts market, one part boutique, one part workshop. She beamed with the confidence of knowing that this was her court, that these were her admirers, locals and tourists who’d come to pay respects to her work. She wore royal red.
A necklace hung in every space of her boutique and on the table outside. She first clasped a simple yellow beaded loop around my neck. She obviously was playing it safe, thinking that foreigners wouldn’t like something bold.
I walked around her two spaces, her assistant trailing me behind. The beaded necklaces hung in every shape and variety and color. Long hanging strands, short fringes, some with round medallions, others that fanned out in an elegant web on the neck. She was reluctant to sell me the webbed one that was truly vibrant – red and blue beads woven in intricate lacy patterns – but I convinced her I had the personality to match it.
Where: CAVA (Centre Artisanal de la Ville d’Abidjan)
