Purpose, PR and Pivots: A Conversation with La Basketry founder, Tabara N’Diaye
Earlier this month, I caught up with Tabara N’Diaye, a creative designer, author, and entrepreneur who has turned the ancient art of basket weaving into a contemporary lifestyle movement. If you’re not already familiar with her work, Tabara is the founder of La Basketry - a brand she launched in 2017 to celebrate handwoven homeware and accessories made in collaboration with female artisans in her native Senegal.
Since then, her mission to make basket-making “fun and accessible” has grown into something of a global phenomenon. Her debut book Baskets has been translated into seven languages, her follow-up Woven was published in 2024, and her Domestika course has taught over 6,500 people worldwide the joy of weaving.
Along the way, she’s been featured on Channel 4’s Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, in the Sunday Times, Marie Claire, and Stylist, and has collaborated with the likes of H&M Home, Dulux Paint and Royal Ascot.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Tabara since before all of that – back when La Basketry was just an idea, a spark of creativity waiting to take shape. In 2017, we worked together on her branding, from developing her mission statement to crafting her first visual identity and website. Nearly a decade later, it’s incredible to see how the brand has evolved – and how those original foundations have continued to guide her.
I hope you enjoy our interview!
La Basketry: A passion for the ancient art of weaving, images throughout © La Basketry
Setting up Strong Brand Foundations
When we first collaborated on La Basketry, Tabara had a clear vision: she wanted to celebrate Senegalese craftsmanship while bringing it to a modern audience. I worked with Tabara to help her articulate her brand story, and from that we wrote up a short and long form mission statement that underpinned the whole brand.
“The mission statement we created almost read like a poem,” she told me, “and it still guides me today.”
That clarity of purpose became the brand’s North Star. From product development to press coverage, every decision has been rooted in those early values. “It flowed so nicely - it felt like we were really taking people to Senegal, where the inspiration for the business began, and to me in London, as I tried to reconnect with my Senegalese roots and the craft. That statement has helped me immensely, through PR and through the events I run now.”
Indeed, even today, 8 years later, parts of that mission statement are still on the brand’s About page, even though the business has evolved a lot beyond just selling baskets (but more to come on that, later!)
The original brand Mission Statement © Cara Bendon & La Basketry
With strong brand foundations in place, Tabara and I collaborated on the brand’s visual identity, creating a logo suite, brand textures, distinct colour palette and first ecommerce website. And then, while she was still working full time in events, the brand was launched!
An example of the brand’s launch materials
I asked her about the public response she got upon launching; “A lot of people were saying how professional and sleek everything looked. I think the brand appeared more established than it actually was - at the time, I was working full time as an events manager, and my sister, who co-founded La Basketry with me, was based in Paris and also had a full-time job. There were a lot of moving parts behind the scenes, but what we presented to the world looked polished and cohesive - from the website and social media to the branding, tags, and product labels. The feedback when we launched the website was amazing, and it resonated with so many people, which was fantastic.”
Tabara shares that she decided to bring a PR company on board from the brand’s very beginning, knowing that she needed to build brand awareness, but knowing she wouldn’t have the time or the network to do so effectively without outside help. She reflects on how good this decision was for the business at that time: “I was very fortunate to find a really good PR who I worked with for about six months. When I approached her, she immediately loved the brand and said, ‘You’re absolutely right - this will resonate with journalists.’ And it did. We got our first piece of coverage about four months after launching - in Metro’s Hot List, which was a big deal at the time. The second was in Stylist’s The Style List, which back then was a huge benchmark.”
The Power of PR
In fact, not only did those early press features result in brand awareness and sales, they actually led to two of the business’ major business wins: a high level stockist, and a book deal!
I’ll let Tabara tell the story:
“I remember getting on the Tube every day and seeing everyone reading Stylist magazine - it was so powerful, and being featured there really accelerated things. It’s not just readers who see those pieces - it’s also buyers. That’s actually how the buyer from the V&A discovered us. She emailed me saying, ‘We just saw you in Stylist — this looks fantastic, I love your story. Could you come to the office and bring some samples?’ I was amazed - it was only four or five months after launching, which felt so surreal.”
“That early PR also led to my first book deal — my editor discovered me in a magazine, emailed to say she loved my story, and asked to meet for coffee. That’s how it all started.”
Highlights from La Basketry’s first year in business
The story of the business really resonated with people: “Two sisters, Senegalese but not raised in Senegal, reconnecting with the craft and collaborating with artisans - mixing both worlds. And of course, the product itself is great quality. You can have all the story in the world, but without a solid product, it won’t last.”
From a Homeware Brand to an Author
In 2019, Tabara secured a publishing deal with Quadrille for her debut book, Baskets. The opportunity came directly from her growing profile in the media - proof of how powerful PR can be when your story truly resonates.
“That book changed everything,” she said. Tabara opens up about the fact she hadn’t seen a publishing deal as part of her business plan - “It wasn’t necessarily a project I had on my vision board, but I’ve always stayed open to different opportunities that shine a light on Senegalese crafts. I thought, this might not be the route I envisioned, but as long as I can stay true to my values, it’s something I can take on.
I was very fortunate to work closely with the whole team, and from the start I made it clear what was important to me. We did a beautiful photoshoot in Senegal with artisans to showcase the craft that’s been passed down through generations - in Senegal and many other countries.
As long as I could include those key elements, I was open to it.”
“That’s something I’ve carried through everything I do: staying true to my values. The path won’t always be a straight line, but as long as you stay connected to what matters most, that’s what counts.”
And on seeing her debut book translated into no less than seven languages? “It has been surreal!”
Her second book, Woven, released in 2024, builds on that success by exploring weaving as a form of mindfulness, connection and creativity. It’s a natural evolution of her ethos – that craft should be joyful, inclusive and good for the soul.
Adapting and Expanding
In 2019, just before the world changed, Tabara launched basket-making kits to bring weaving into people’s homes. When the pandemic hit, this side of the business exploded as everyone turned to creative hobbies for comfort. “If something really scares me, I should do it,” she laughed – a mantra that’s clearly served her well.
Through lockdowns, she hosted digital workshops and built a thriving online community. What could have been a challenging time became a period of connection and creativity, perfectly aligned with La Basketry’s values.
The Power of Visibility
One of the things I’ve always admired about Tabara is how authentically she shows up as the face of her brand. “Being visible has definitely opened doors,” she said, “from collaborations to press opportunities.”
And there have been many of those – from her television appearance on Kirstie Allsopp’s Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas to her nomination for Female Founder of the Year in Holly Tucker’s Independent Awards. Each milestone has reinforced what makes La Basketry special: it’s not just about beautiful products, it’s about people, purpose and storytelling.
A New Chapter & The Business’ Future
Motherhood has brought new inspiration, too. After welcoming her daughter Senna, Tabara launched La Petite Senna, a collection of crochet dolls celebrating diversity and representation, created in collaboration with Senegalese crafter L’Atelier Sama. This year will be their 3rd year, and each year they sell out due to being small batch creations, which we discuss is a balance she always has to handle carefully, but she is absolutely not about to compromise on.
“I’ve gone back and forth about this because selling an artisan business is really tricky, depending on where the products are made and the infrastructure. I personally don’t believe that artisan products should be mainstream — like, big, in big quantity — because that kind of devalues everything. It’s hard when you have the demand, can’t fulfill it, and it’s so frustrating.
The sell-out La Petite Senna dolls
I’ve had that conversation with so many people over the years, and some have told me, ‘Why don’t you go and make your stuff in Vietnam?’ But that’s not my business. It’s true that when you see what’s being achieved in Asia or India, you look at it and think, ‘Oh, wow, thousands of products could be made in a month.’ But that’s not what I want to do. That’s not the heart of why I started my business.”
Looking ahead, Tabara hints at a few exciting ideas – including a possible children’s book inspired by crafts – but for now, her focus remains on La Basketry and La Petite Senna.
“As long as you stay true to your values,” she tells me, “your business can flourish in so many different ways.”
And if her journey is anything to go by, those words couldn’t be more true.
Find out more about Tabara here:
Tabara’s books - Baskets & Woven
Tabara’s Online Basket Weaving Course