When she isn’t going for runs with her dog or hiking, Jessi-Jean Havemann is at her desk designing the magic that is Balthazaar bags and cushions. With an ethical approach to how she makes her makes her bags, Jessi-Jean believes that anyone can change the world. I had an interview with her about her love for vintage carpets and how this inspired the idea for Balthazaar.
Tell our readers about how you got into the fashion world?
I studied fashion design and dropped out in my first year to rather travel the world and learn traditional fabrication techniques first hand. Some of the techniques I learnt included batik, a technique for dyeing cloth, which I learnt in Indonesia. I also learnt leather manipulation and dying in Morocco. Close to mt heart was the sustainable and ethical practices I learnt in Thailand.
Where did the idea for Balthazaar come from?
I wanted to start a brand that operates ethically. I’ve always been fond of carpets. They are the first thing I’ll look at if I walk into a room. They are long lasting and I wanted a material that can last forever. Balthazaar is all about upcycling and using what we have and not depleting what little resources we have left.
Tell our readers about your creative process?
The vintage carpets from Morocco I went over and sourced myself. They are then air freighted over. Once they land I’ll go and sit with the people I work with, either in Mitchells Plain or at my Studio in Hout Bay, and start cutting up the carpets and all the leather patterns. Then the carpet cut-offs get sent to CMTs with industrial machines to be overlocked. Once sent back with us the leather pockets, labels, leather straps, pompoms and embellishments get hand sewn on. I also have an agent that goes to Pakistan and brings back vintage camel saddle bags and the above process continues.
You mentioned that every item is handmade and ethically sourced, can you expand on this? Tell our readers about why this is so important to you and how you feel this adds to the brand? Perhaps you could also mention the connection between the idea to recycle and the ethics of fashion.
The camel saddle bags and carpets are all handmade by women in Pakistan for husbands on long journeys through the desert to ward off illness and provide protection along their travels. The latest camel saddle bags in my collection are from Pakistan and were made for women on their wedding day by their family. They represent health, strength and guidance. Once they are on South Africa’s shores they go to the people I work with in Mitchells Plain and get hand stitched together. Both of the people I work with there have been trained by me, so I have been able to pass on my skills to other people. I hope to grow my team and be able to support more families in South Africa. It is important to me to create skilled jobs for South Africans, use vintage materials then up-cycle them, and not mass produce in unethical factories.
Tell our readers more about the people you empower through creating your bags?
Brandon and Pamela are like family to me. I hope by teaching them skills and being there for them I can empower them to be open to more opportunities. I’m happy when they work with me as well as use their new skills to generate more income for themselves and their family.
You also mentioned that “A Balthazaar handbag has a unique story and an exotic character of its own.” Could you expand on this?
Think about all the journeys these camel saddle bags have been on across deserts and into homes across Africa. I feel their energy of their past lives still emanate from them now. One bag could have been a camel rider alone and independent in the desert and another could have been a princess’s gift on her wedding day to the love of her life or the man of her nightmares. They all have so much character, it delights me dreaming of there past lives.
Tell our readers about your latest collection – the inspiration for this, how they came to life, the creative process, where you sourced carpets from, etc.
The latest collection as I said above are camel saddle bags made for Pakistani women on their wedding days. You can tell this by the bright pompom’s and tassels on the bags. A friend of mine got married recently and this range was made with her in mind.
What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment, large “day bed” cushions made out of vintage carpets for lounging on indoors and outdoors.
How to envision the future of Balthazaar?
I’d like to have more of an international clientele. Once I get bigger overseas I hope to grow my team and create more skilled jobs here in South Africa.
Visit Balthazaar on Facebook to keep up with that Jessi-Jean has planned for the year.
