Traba Accessories Savon Food

About the designer

Elske Rightford studied fibre art for 3 years as a school subject through the Jack Meyer Art Centre in Paarl and then later trained in Graphic Design at the Cape Town Technikon.

She currently works as a fibre artist from her home outside Wellington, South Africa turning cushions, curtains, throws, table runners, quilts and scarves into ‘wearable and useable artworks’.

She supplies a large supplier (of fabrics to the furnishing and design industry), with cushions which are sold from their showrooms across South Africa and also works with various interior designers on specific briefs for cushions, curtains and wall hangings for their clients.

Elske is inspired by the beauty of the natural world, light, colour, space and by her chosen medium itself; fabrics, threads, beads, wool etc and the fabulous tactile textures they create.

Brown Velour Autumn
Flower Scarf

Green Velour Autumn Leaves Scarf - Winter

Lemonblue Aqua Life Circles Scarf - Summer

Pink Sunset Life Circles Scarf

Kaki-brown earthy wind twirls scarf

Pink/orange ringing twinkles scarf - Traba Kids

Her life on a South African farm, her marriage into a different culture and her European upbringing allow Lies to join elements of nature, culture and art, with total respect for the environment and the artist, according to the highest quality standards. Traba art wear - stands for exclusive, original art designed to wear. Designs are inspired by nature to combine a sense of wellbeing and beauty with fashion.

After meeting Elske Rightford, an extraordinary young South African textile designer, Lies found the artist who would enable her to get her message of beauty across, locally and abroad. TRABA - art wear – is born.

TRABA art wear exists out of an exclusive range of high quality scarfs and wraps, divided into a summer, winter and all-seasons range and has just expanded with an arty kids accessories collection. Every scarf or wrap shouts uniqueness, is designed by the artist and hand-made from the purest materials.

The Winter Collection 2007-2008 (*) is made out of a base material of velour with autumn and winter African art impressions out of silk, organza, beads and cotton.

(*) European autumn/ winter October 2007 - March 2008. African autumn/ winter May 2008 - October 2008.

Wraps and pashminas of 70% pashmina wool and 30% silk form the art surface for the Summer Collection of 2007 (*). Pastel colours, varying from pink, kaki-beige and lemonblue, are used in this collection.

(*) European spring/summer from April 2007 - September 2007. African spring/summer from November 2007 - April 2008.

The artist Elske created individual pieces of art with the endless and limitless circle as head theme.

“Life starts and ends, to start again in another form, in another season in another time”, says Lies.

The elements of nature, expressed on this art wear, are captured and pictured by an African light.

The All-seasons Collection will cover winter and summer 2007/2008 (*). It will exist out of chocolate-terra browns, venetian green, bright red, black, turquoise and pale pinks. The themes vary and are inspired by nature and culture.

The scarfs can be worn at any time to brighten up a uni-color outfit, to keep you warm on a cooler summer evening or to turn a normal event into a special occasion. Pictures will be available shortly.

(*) European spring April 2007 up to spring April 2008. African autumn April 2007 up to autumn April 2008.

Besides the adult range TRABA art wear has added accessories for babies from 1 year to children up to 12 years. TRABA kids started with the desire to create unique and wearable gifts for Lies’ nephiews, Jef and Juul and baby godchild Emma. The small funny, colorful and musical scarfs have become a straigth hit and future orders have been signed up. The official TRABA kids accessories collection and pictures will be available soon.
TRABA kids