Once upon a time...

In Senegal, basket weaving is a tradition passed down for generations to women in rural villages to make extra income. Travelling there as a child, and many times since, I’ve always found these artisans and their craft so joyful. The dedication and community I felt watching them weaving with their children next to them, under a baobab tree, inspired me to launch La Basketry. 

Bringing colour to modern homes 

La Basketry was launched in 2017 as an online boutique, offering baskets and unique woven products for the home designed, all handwoven by a group of female artisans I had met and connected with in a small village outside of our parents’ hometown called Thies in Senegal. 

At a turning point in my thirties, while leading a busy life in London, I felt drawn to create something more meaningful - a project that would bring purpose to my own life and positively impact others.

Our first collection was stocked widely at places including the Victoria and Albert Museum, but it was creating a platform to share Senegalese craftsmanship with the world that felt like my greatest achievement. 

New chapters

As I spent more time in Senegal, I began to learn the art of basket weaving myself - taking courses, experimenting with techniques, and exploring new materials to evolve our designs. I fell in love with the process, which eventually led to my first book, Baskets (Quadrille, 2019), followed by Woven (Penguin, 2024).

When the world slowed down in 2020, La Basketry naturally evolved in new directions - introducing DIY craft kits, online workshops, and a digital basket-weaving course that has since welcomed over 6,000 students.
In a time when many of us were seeking calm and connection, crafting became a source of mindfulness and joy - a reminder that working with our hands can quiet the mind, spark creativity, and nurture a sense of community, even from afar. 

Today, La Basketry wants to celebrate all things woven – be it inspiring you to weave and craft your own creations at one of my workshops, or to purchase a beautiful piece made by a skilled artisan online. 

La Basketry is at the heart of your home, it’s woven into our DNA!

Tabara x