LALELA - SUPPORTING LIFE CHANGING ART

“Accessories that give back.”

I'm incredibly happy and excited to launch Lalela Scarves on House of Terrance. From the moment I saw these stunning pieces I knew I wanted to include them in the HOT product mix. And after hearing about the incredible foundation behind the scarves and other accessories, I knew I had to make it happen!

Lalela Scarf is a luxury accessory brand built to sustain the nonprofit, Lalela, which provides arts education to at-risk youth in Sub-Saharan Africa. The designs are all original works of art created by Lalela students and each hang tag tells a little bit about the artist behind the work or the curriculum that inspired it. To this day, Lalela has touched the lives of more than 55,000 students in Africa, meaning that the purchase of a Lalela Scarf product truly helps make a difference in the world. This mission is truly one I can get behind.

The story of how I found out about Lalela is a funny one. My dear friend Michèle in Cape Town came across the brand at an art event and immediately wrote to me to say that I had to find a way to sell Lalela things on my website. In one of those bazaar coincidences that make us scratch our heads, it turns out that Lalela's founder and design director, Sandy lives in New York and is a neighbor and good friend of one of my closest friends, Janice. I got an introduction and the rest is history.

Lalela means to listen in Zulu and listening is at the heart of what the project does. By listening to the children's individual stories and the community's needs they understand the challenges and provide creative solutions. Founded in 2009, the organization provides education through the arts to children grades 1 through 12 in a safe space during the vulnerable after-school hours and holiday periods. Lalela uses the power of the arts to help students navigate a clear path that is often cluttered with the hazards of extreme poverty, including gang violence, HIV / AIDS, and physical and substance abuse.

Through Lalela's arts curriculum and its critical messaging component, children are taught how to map and manifest their dreams and goals, launching the possibility of a different future for themselves and their communities. Research has shown that educational arts are closely linked to academic achievement, social and emotional development, and civic engagement. Through the joy of the arts, children's voices and dreams can be heard, seen, and realized.

All Lalela designs are created by the students enrolled in the Lalela project. The scarves are designed in South Africa and made in India.