n'Intoki

In our company we say “It’s not just about the Pretty”. Every 30 second flash of designer “brilliance” is followed by hours of product testing, re-design, pulling out stitches and putting it all back together before we get to a finished product. It’s the artisans that make our brand a special take on handbags made in Africa.

lisa b marler  kigali was established by an interior designer who had been living in Rwanda for 6 years. Having completed many projects, she had acquired a network of trades people who valued quality workmanship. With an interest in producing a line of handbags that could be compelling to African women and men, she started working with local providers to meet that vision.

In 2019 the company name was changed to n’Intoki, which means with fingers in Kinyarwanda. The name change allows us to acknowledge the team and craftsmanship of our artists and the work that they put into each of our products.. In 2021 we established a partnership with a local production facility to allow us to bring the artisans on board as employees, pay their wages and benefits, establish better quality control and to work on continued training for them. This production unit is owned by a Rwandan with extensive experience at Coach and Kate Spade.