oyeGH

My name is Anita Essie Kittoe, married with 3 energetic boys. I love fabrics! I love leather, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, netted fabrics, cotton, African print fabrics… the list is endless. My love for fabrics led me into my hobby of making bags and other clothing accessories which has now turned into a business. Oye’ is a fante word (Fante is a dialect in Akan language spoken in southern part of Ghana) which means ‘its good’. Oye’ started as a hobby of designing and making bags and other clothing accessories for relations abroad.
We create an array of African bags and accessories from a fine selection of local fabrics and materials. Our pieces are crafted to radiate both contemporary and the pure African styles using very colourful fabrics and simple technics. Every product is handmade by local craftmen who use very basic methods with the aim of maintaining originality.
Our handmade bags are predominantly made from local wax print, tie dye fabrics, kente fabrics; other woven fabrics all made locally and sometimes recycled cocoa sacks and leather. Unlike mass production bags, our bags are pieces of art with individual identities thus each bag is distinct and unique in every way. Our designs are captivating, truly African as well as contemporary and radiate the bright African Sun.
Oye’ has provided a livelihood for our tailors and craftsmen who otherwise used to wait for customers to walk into their shops to order for items to be made. These same craftsmen have used their skills to make items for sale and thus have gained access to a larger market and a wider client base. A banker who will otherwise sit in an air-conditioned office and appraise loan request of customers has found greater fulfilment from assisting these tailors with designing and marketing intriguing African bags and accessories all over the world.