What does Quamta mean? Quamta as a name is derived from Quamata the name of an African deity. Quamta as a brand pays homage to Africa and the sense of mystery attached to the continent. We believe in crafting items of superior quality, another metaphor for the divine.
When was Quamta established? We launched our first collection during Paris Fashion Week in 2011.
How did you get into the luxury industry? Over the course of my early career I developed a keen interest in luxury products and was fortunate enough to be selected as one of 20 individuals to study at the Creative Academy [owned by the Richemont Group] in Milan. I completed a Master of Arts in Design. Not only did the course provide me with the skills necessary to create world-class products, it also provided me with the opportunity to work under the guidance of esteemed creative directors from some of the top European luxury brands.
Why leather? In 2009, I moved to London where I joined the hard products and leather goods design team for Alfred Dunhill. During this time I discovered my passion for leather accessories design and the art of working with leather products.
How important is ‘the story’ to a brand? Brands tell stories and make people dream. We produce leather accessories that are inspired by the unique natural beauty of Africa and are influenced by the renaissance of art and design movements across the continent. Our collections are set against an African backdrop of journey and discovery, where colours and textures are fused with age-old craftsmanship, introducing our customer to an organic luxury experience.
Do you think being South African or African is part of that appealing story? Africa is a great place to be from, but if your brand has its sights set on the world, a truly global approach with regard to your business is necessary.
A lot of sleepless nights and hard work I’m sure, but you seem to have established yourself relatively quickly. What is your secret to launching a new brand? If there is one thing I have learned from my time working with Quamta, it is that there is no single formula to follow when it comes to creating a successful brand for a global stage. Each brand, especially in the high-end luxury segment, has to strive for originality in order to carve a path. And every original brand has its own unique set of stories.
Three words that best describe the Quamta brand identity? Head, heart and hand. Meaning creative ideas, the African continent and hand crafted products.
What is your ultimate personal luxury? Spending quality time with the people important to me.
How would you best describe your approach to design? A strategic fusion of the wisdom of the old and energy of the new.
Why did you choose Paris as your base? Paris offers the old world charm of the luxury world, which is a constant source of inspiration and in the end it was both an organic and strategic decision since it is relatively close to our manufacturer in Milan and our international supply chain.
There is already so much competition between the established houses – most even hitting a point of luxury mass-production - and now we have a whole new guard (like yourselve) of young artisans, the real hands-on makers. What is the future of the luxury industry? True luxury brands prioritise the quality and excellence of their products and allow business to follow afterwards. We believe in the same principles. The next major shift will be towards digital media and the challenges of sustainable product development and brands must come up with new ways to deal with new technology and social changes.
PARIS INSIDER
Quamta founder on brand, dreams, luxury & life in Paris
Pieter Jansen van Rensburg is the dynamic young founder and creative director of Quamta, one of Africa’s first true luxury brands
Pieter Jansen van Rensburg's charm is certainly a huge asset but it’s his incredible talent, keen eye for luxury in all the detail and collaborative spirit that is revealed in the Quamta range. Forever innovating, Pieter sees the brand as an expression of natural beauty and pure, modern functionality.
What does Quamta mean? Quamta as a name is derived from Quamata the name of an African deity. Quamta as a brand pays homage to Africa and the sense of mystery attached to the continent. We believe in crafting items of superior quality, another metaphor for the divine.
When was Quamta established? We launched our first collection during Paris Fashion Week in 2011.
How did you get into the luxury industry? Over the course of my early career I developed a keen interest in luxury products and was fortunate enough to be selected as one of 20 individuals to study at the Creative Academy [owned by the Richemont Group] in Milan. I completed a Master of Arts in Design. Not only did the course provide me with the skills necessary to create world-class products, it also provided me with the opportunity to work under the guidance of esteemed creative directors from some of the top European luxury brands.
Why leather? In 2009, I moved to London where I joined the hard products and leather goods design team for Alfred Dunhill. During this time I discovered my passion for leather accessories design and the art of working with leather products.
How important is ‘the story’ to a brand? Brands tell stories and make people dream. We produce leather accessories that are inspired by the unique natural beauty of Africa and are influenced by the renaissance of art and design movements across the continent. Our collections are set against an African backdrop of journey and discovery, where colours and textures are fused with age-old craftsmanship, introducing our customer to an organic luxury experience.
Do you think being South African or African is part of that appealing story? Africa is a great place to be from, but if your brand has its sights set on the world, a truly global approach with regard to your business is necessary.
A lot of sleepless nights and hard work I’m sure, but you seem to have established yourself relatively quickly. What is your secret to launching a new brand? If there is one thing I have learned from my time working with Quamta, it is that there is no single formula to follow when it comes to creating a successful brand for a global stage. Each brand, especially in the high-end luxury segment, has to strive for originality in order to carve a path. And every original brand has its own unique set of stories.
Three words that best describe the Quamta brand identity? Head, heart and hand. Meaning creative ideas, the African continent and hand crafted products.
What is your ultimate personal luxury? Spending quality time with the people important to me.
How would you best describe your approach to design? A strategic fusion of the wisdom of the old and energy of the new.
Why did you choose Paris as your base? Paris offers the old world charm of the luxury world, which is a constant source of inspiration and in the end it was both an organic and strategic decision since it is relatively close to our manufacturer in Milan and our international supply chain.
There is already so much competition between the established houses – most even hitting a point of luxury mass-production - and now we have a whole new guard (like yourselve) of young artisans, the real hands-on makers. What is the future of the luxury industry? True luxury brands prioritise the quality and excellence of their products and allow business to follow afterwards. We believe in the same principles. The next major shift will be towards digital media and the challenges of sustainable product development and brands must come up with new ways to deal with new technology and social changes.
Image: Quamta
What makes Quamta so unique? Our distinct and exclusive unisex ranges appeal to discerning individuals with a keen eye for quality that is as iconic as it is alluring - the young at heart with the means and the will to experience the true beauty of the world they live in.
What were some of your challenges entering the market with a new brand? And from Africa? One of the biggest challenges was to establish a sustainable supply chain that could support our promise of perfection.
France, Italy, UK, all have associations with the luxury industry. Africa at the moment is getting a lot of attention and hype around innovative technology, art and design but the association is not necessarily with finely crafted goods or luxury. You are essentially a brand from “Africa” but now manufacturing in Italy. What was the initial reaction to a “luxe” brand from Africa and why did you choose to move your production? The initial response from the international market was surprisingly good as I think there was nothing really like us in the market at the time. Since Quamta launched we promised to continuously strive to create innovative, original and superior goods by using sustainable and responsible techniques and practices. As Quamta grew Italy provided us with various supply chains and distribution advantages. Our products will continue to convey the diversity of African landscapes through signature colour tones and natural textures of the finest exotic leathers prominently sourced from the African continent.
Speaking of brands, and the idea of ‘country brand’: when we think of Italy, we think sports cars, furniture and fashion; France, couture, wine and fine dining; the UK, bespoke, craftsmanship, and now exceptional dining, all quite ‘luxury’ associations. Beyond Mandela, game lodges and sunny skies (and corruption and crime), what does Brand SA look like to everyone? The provenance of stemming from Africa does hold a certain appeal to some markets, but I feel that certain elements such as quality, presentation, and delivery of expectations must be of such a high standard that they allow the products that adhere to them to compete alongside the worlds already established high-end brands.
Image: Quamta
How did the collaboration with Colette happen? To celebrate African modernity as a luxury label we engage in ongoing collaborations with photographers, artists, designers, musicians and like-minded brands from across Africa and the rest of the world. The Colette concept has been driven by the desire to create beautiful luxury items, conceptualised from opposite sides of the globe, to be unified in Paris. We wanted to create an exciting product that was as fun as it was functional and found the ideal collaborator in Colette who are known for their artist/designer collaborations and vibrant approach. We developed a coin purse in fine crocodile leather that has been finished in the signature Colette blue colourway. The concept stemmed from the playful nature of the Colette brand, so we made use of their fun colour and applied it to a useful and somewhat playful item. The round shape of the coin purse pays homage to the double dot logo of Colette.
You mentioned to me a while ago that you also consult to other brands. At what level or capacity is your engagement and is it easy for you to switch creatively between your brand and others? Over the past seven years I have serviced a number of luxury brands based in the USA, Europe and Asia. I enjoy collaborating with brands and creative thinkers to conceptualise products that fill specific needs within the luxury goods sector. More particularly, I specialise in high-end luxury leather accessories within the roles of a multidisciplinary designer and creative.
Your Classic range is very popular but you are continuously innovating and presenting new ranges. I see you are more about innovation and quality than fashion, but this must still be a big task for a small company? Rather than just build on a core range, do you see this as totally necessary in establishing your brand and continuously keeping the attention of your clients? Our classics will always be important to us as it forms our continuity collection. For the first time since we started Quamta we are looking at ways of transforming our classics to something new and reinventing our seasonal offering.
Tell me about your latest collection? All new. See it all at quamta.com
You launch your e-commerce platform recently – albeit small steps and only with your popular Classic range at this stage. Until now you have only done wholesale. Do you think the move to your own online retail is necessary? I think it was a natural evolution for Quamta's distribution to extend our offer to international regions where we don’t currently have a footprint.
Paris in three words? Fan, Tas, Tic.
Favorite breakfast spot in Paris? Take away feuilleté au jambon from Gerard Mulot.
Best place to sit and people watch? On a bench under the trees on Place Saint-Sulpice in the Luxembourg Quarter.
Best for rand-friendly dinner? Au Pied De Fouet
Most romantic spot in Paris? Rowing boats picnic in Bois de Boulogne.
A recent discovery? Onion and potato pancakes at Boulevard Raspail Sunday market.
Best destination for the ultimate break from it all? Sailing around Formentera, Spain.
How do you “unplug” in Paris? Spend the day at Les Bains du Marais hammam.
What book are you reading at the moment? I don't read.
Where do you find most of your inspiration? Traveling gives me the opportunity to have time away from Quamta and discover new things to inspire me.