Supermodel/actress and maternal health advocate Liya Kebede founded lemlem in 2007. The brand’s inspiration arose during a trip to her native Ethiopia. While visiting, Kebede met traditional weavers who no longer had a market for their goods, Kebede felt a need to preserve their art form while simultaneously creating job opportunities. Meaning “to bloom” or “to flourish” in Amharic, lemlem is handmade in Ethiopia from natural cotton and rooted in tradition, but woven with a modern touch. It aims to add a sense of diversity to the clothing market while fueling prosperity in another. Recently expanding beyond the hand woven category while still maintaining production in Africa, lemlem provides another voice for African causes as well as a beautiful embodiment of its traditions and culture.
“Seeing our weavers at work on their looms is mesmerizing. The beauty of our products lie in the intricate weaving patterns and the incredible care taken by each of our weavers.”-Liya Kebede
