“For 2024, I want to do more, do better. I want to bring more life to the brand, I don’t want the brand to die down because I’m not moving with the times.”
This was Beth Jotham’s mindset as we as we featured her on our ‘2024 Preview article’ in January. Between then and now, a lot happened — she lost a close family member, she took a brief hiatus from her day job, Zimbabwean fashion started feeling the pinch from the economy.
Through it all, Beth was still devoted to the tote bag brand she started in 2023 as part of her own effort to speak on what matters. She even unveiled an upgraded logo for the brand in mid-May – a precursor of what was to come.
Six months later, she has delivered on her January promise, and kept her burgeoning brand alive. Her first release of the year is a triumphant return, a statement of intent, a bold declaration — TOTEM is not going anywhere. On 23 July, she released a new collection of puffer tote bags titled Unganai, inspired by the power of unity and the beauty of the African landscape. ‘Unganai’ is a Shona word which means ‘come together’.
For Beth, the collection is a reminder – we always need each other, in good and in bad.
“This collection is inspired by the need to remind everyone that we are one and we need each other. We don’t always have to come together for loss and pain, we can still come together to celebrate, uplift, mentor and share.
“When we come together we are home. Wherever we are, whoever we are with, when we come together we are home. Home to ourselves, home to and for each other,” she explained.
That does not mean that the six colourways she chose for the cozy puffer totes are also as simple. The colours relate to the African landscape as we have all experienced it at some point in our lives. Each colour was carefully chosen and named to give meaning to the collection, as Beth broke it down:
Can you describe the overall theme or aesthetic of the collection?
Beth: The African climate. Every colour on the Unganai palette is outside your door – the rocks, the sky, the soil, the darkness, the land. Everyday views.
Can you break down the colours and names for us?
Beth: There’s Nyika, which is Dark brown: Inspired by the land we tilled growing up, reminds me of the dusty to muddy fields during the rainy to harvest season.
Upenyu, Dark green: Inspired by nature, the plants, the crops, the source of our food.
Ibwe, Soft grey: Inspired by rocks and stones that surround us.
Rima, Black: Inspired by night time – the uncertainty that darkness brings but also the opportunity to come together and bond over a fire.
Ivhu, Beige: Inspired by the soil, dust that always rose when there was movement. The traveller, the dancer, the nomad. Watching it settle again when there was no story to tell.
And finally Denga, Blue: Inspired by the sky. In its own right the sky is a canvas subject to change – from the soft clear sky to the luminating nightfall.
In addition to the effort Beth put in conceptualizing the Unganai collection, the design itself is unlike any tote bags we’ve encountered on the market. It’s large and comfortable. It’s bulky yet compact. It’s best for both the hands and the shoulders – it comes with two sets of handles. It’s as practical as it is stylish.
“It is a comfy tote bag which is spacious and cushioned for shoulder and hand holding as I hate painful shoulders from carrying things. The colour palette is amazing, and I’m sure the names will resonate with many. It is like a series of our heritage,” she described.
The production process was not without its challenges, as the creative director faced difficulties in sourcing materials in the desired colours.
“Material sourcing in the colour palette I wanted, it was a challenge at first deciding on the colours and then sourcing the shades I wanted, my feet hurt,” she bemoaned.
The Unganai collection enjoyed a well-received online launch as Beth capitalised on her social media fame, but she plans to organise physical showcases in the future.
“I started off with an online launch, I will see where that takes us. But, in the near future having people come together and showcasing my work is the goal,” she concluded.
With the Unganai Collection, TOTEM By Beth.J is no longer merely moving with the times; it is leading fashion into a new era. It would be unsurprising to see variations of the puffer tote spring up over the coming seasons.
The thoughtfulness to add connotations of unity, heritage, and the everyday beauty found in the African landscape make it an even more profound release.
If this is its first release of the year, one can only dream of where TOTEM will be by the end of the year.
