Founded in 2012 by the Ivorian-born, Paris-based designer Akébéhi Kpolo, jewellery brand Ohiri explores the diversity and commonality found across different West African cultures. ‘I was raised by parents who were in love with African culture, art and design,’ she says. ‘My friends used to say my house was like a museum because there were so many different forms of art. I don’t have a French name, I just have an Ivorian name as embracing our culture was so important.’

Kpolo articulates this through the lens of the Akan, an ethnic group present primarily in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. ‘I wanted to present the Akan culture in three different parts: firstly, via their making techniques, secondly, through the material they use, which is principally gold, and finally, the symbolism behind the pieces.’

Kpolo’s S/S23 collection, Outlines (2), is a companion series to Outlines (1), her A/W22 art-jewellery ‘offering’ to an imaginary ‘crocodile king’. While the designer is from the Bété ethnic group, she has been interested in the jewellery of the Akan since she first encountered it on a family road trip aged 11. ‘We went for a traditional wedding in an Akan village. I was very impressed by the men and women wearing huge, beautiful gold jewellery.’ 

The Akan are known for adinkra, a system of symbols depicting concepts, mythologies…