We are a Zimbabwean e-commerce craft company that is based in St. Louis Missouri USA. We have a mandate to represent different African cultures through crafting. We focus on three branches of craft: fashion, fine arts and literature.

Meaning behind the name: YKG is an acronym of the Gandawa sister’s initials, Yemurai: is a science fiction author working on a book inspired by the future of a self-thriving Africa Kumbirai: is an artist who creates under the brand Kumbie Art (a sibling company of YKG crafts) follow the link to the Instagram page for a gallery of her work: https://www.instagram.com/kumbie_art/Kumbi art’s finest collection titled “Chimurenga” was showing at the UrbArts in St. Louis Missouri USA at Brut Leroy’s show (1980s Black iconography), where Kumbi Art displayed 2 Zimbabwean and 1 Ghanaian 1980s icons. Kumbi arts is also collaborating with YKG craft’s fashion designer (Gamu) to create a wearable art collection that tells iconic African stories.

Founder of YKG Crafts: Gamuchirai Gandawa is a fashion designer and the founder of YKG crafts. She creates bespoke designs that are African couture, ready to wear and African Print jewelry under the Brand YKG crafts.

Gamu moved to the USA for a BSc. In Biology at Truman State University and will forever be indebted to the African Students Association where she found her love for African print. She started YKG crafts in 2012 as an African print jewelry company and showcased at different craft shows in Kirksville Missouri.

Upon graduating from Truman she moved to St. Louis Missouri to pursue a Biochemistry career and to pursue an MSc. in IT project management at Webster University. In St. Louis, she employed spare time to self-teach the art of fashion design. She was then featured as an up and coming designer at St. Louis’s biggest annual show “Inspire” by United way in 2017. Ultimately, Gamu has been featured in numerous fashion shows within the USA Midwest. Ykg crafts were featured in the glamorous editorial Solis Magazine Issue 30 –BLAK edition 2018 Vol II and inline for a second feature in the 2019 edition of a High-end Magazine.

Gamu is very eager to utilize skills picked up from her current career as an IT Project manager to better manage YKG crafts and to continue telling African inspired stories. Also, explore different fabric textures and ethnic colors that represent not only Zimbabwe but also Africa. Gamu aims to infuse her African heritage in all she will learn from the world in her journey in editorial Fashion and contribute to what is in Vogue.

Gamu has a lot of African stories to tell through Fashion and prepared immensely to showcase at Plitz New York fashion week fall 2019!

Ykg crafts are open for business online and for any of collaboration that deems African inspired fashion important!

Company Contact:

Gamu Gandawa
YKG Crafts
Ph: 219.256.5332
Email: craftsykg@gmail.com
Website: www.ykgcrafts.com
Facebook: YKG crafts
Instagram: @ykg_crafts
Harare, Zimbabwe