
AFRICAN TRADER
The African Trader shop is housed in a historic building next to the Patrick Mavros Atelier, in the heart of the Beau Plan Creative Park on the former Beau Plan sugar estate.
African Trader offers a unique and carefully curated selection of hand-crafted objects from Southern and East Africa, including Madagascar and Mauritius. The shop gives access to authentic and exceptional African decorative objects. African trader supports local craftspeople, communities and internationally recognised brands. African Trader helps upports and helps to sustain traditional knowledge and skills.
African Trader sources its goods from socially responsible organisations like acclaimed Kenyan-based Ocean Sole Africa, which repurposes flip-flops salvaged from beaches into striking sculptures and decorative items. African Trader is a purveyor of Tonga baskets, textiles, hand-carved stone, wood sculptures and beaded art, among other functional and decorative objects.
African Trader was established by Kate and Forbes Mavros, designers for the family-run luxury jewellery brand Patrick Mavros. They have called Mauritius home since 2006. Says Forbes, “African Trader’s aesthetic is a reflection of how we decorate both the Patrick Mavros premises and our home. Our aim has always been to inspire our customers through our spaces. With African Trader, we aim to offer a more formal platform from which people can access these items and take a piece of African heritage home with them.”
African Trader was inspired by Forbes’ and Kate’s passion for sourcing beautifully made local craft goods for Patrick Mavros boutiques worldwide. As Kate Mavros explains, “African Trader grew out of our travels across the African continent, our enthusiasm for collecting intriguing, authentic and unique pieces of high craft, and our desire to preserve traditional ways of making and living. African Trader is a way for us to share our appreciation of beautiful handmade art.”
The shop is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to 12:30pm.