Hello lovely readers! I’m beyond excited to share with you this blog post on the Creative Ladypreneur series! The Creative Ladypreneur was created to discover women entrepreneurs behind local brands in Mauritius. We share their stories, celebrate their braveness in running their biz and cheer on their heartfelt creations.
Rewind to last week. I was scrolling through my Instagram and a stunning post appeared. It felt like it came right from an interior decor magazine. Baskets with trendy designs that I have never seen before. What made me scream of joy? It was handmade in Mauritius.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the inspiring story of two sisters (Samuella & Valerie) and their mother (Corinne): the talented women behind Tipodane.
1. How did you came up with Tipodane as your brand name?
The origin of our brand is related to a folk French childhood tale: Peau d’âne. The main character of this popular tale was further used by our grandparents as a nickname for a mischievous sibling. In creole, it is used as an affectionate name inspiring wit, mischief and liveliness.
Those characteristics are indeed the essence of Tipodane.
2. What inspired you to create handmade baskets?
The project was born while I was looking into refreshing my son’s room on a tight budget and with little time on hands. I was looking for an original way to store his toys and thought of customising a straw basket. I found myself a big straw basket and thought of funny ways of making it blend into a child’s room…that’s how the adventure started with the inspiration and assistance of my sister and mum.
3. Tell us more about the passionate entrepreneurs behind Tipodane!
Behind Tipodane is a trio of women passionate about handicraft, beauty and fashion. We are complimentary: Mum is a seasoned craftswoman in crochet and embroidery. My sister studied design and digital arts. She is the brain behind the blueprints of our creations; and finally I manage the administration tasks and marketing.
We are a cohesive and dedicated team as we are passionate about it. Each of us have found our place and we are building Tipodane together.
4. What are the other collections available and what is your ‘coup de coeur’?
We started with a collection of baskets for kids bedroom during the month of August this year. We also launched a highly Boho-influenced collection with tassels. Right now we are preparing an exclusive summer collection with tropical influences.
Our ‘coup de coeur’ is the collection created for kids. We put much love and care in all our creations but a special attention is given to items designed for children.
5. Describe a typical day at Tipodane.
Our day begins when my sister and I come home from work in the evening. We then head to our mum’s place for a casual debrief about the latest updates regarding Tipodane (social media, campaigns, customer queries and orders). We make sure to revert back and confirm our orders during this time.
We work in collaboration with local artisans for the straw baskets so we always ensure we have some handy.
Then we customize our baskets for individual orders and work on our collection. Weekends are dedicated for deliveries and creating visual content for our brand.
6. Where can we buy your products?
To buy our baskets or order a customized one, you can head to our social media pages:
We also provide items as per our customers’ demand. For example you can have a basket with your child’s name in crochet on it! Our baskets are available in 2 standard sizes.
7. From which material are your baskets made of?
Our baskets are made from vetiver. The raw material is imported from Madagascar. Our baskets are 100% natural and eco-friendly. We don’t use any varnish or paint so there is no risk of toxic emission. They can be used safely in children or babies room. The customization is done solely with wool and cotton.
At Tipodane we make it a priority to be eco-friendly. From manufacture to finished product, we use only recyclable materials, whether for the packaging or even for our tags for e.g we have used paper and raffia.
8. How would you describe the style of Tipodane?
Tipodane is bohemian and evolves with our inspirations and trendy influences.
9. Any advice for women who wishes to pursue their passion in Mauritius?
Hard work, commit to your dreams and fearlessness is the formula. Even if it takes time to grow, even if you make mistakes along the way, persevere and you will make it happen.
Any desire to lighten up your interior with those locally handmade baskets? How about a unique house-warming gift? Look no futher – Tipodane has your back! Now if you’ll excuse me, I am heading to my bedroom and create a space for my basket!
