A variety of Gootchi Baskets are proudly showcased at :
The Gift Shop at Tintswalo Atlantic - Hout Bay.
View by appointment
25 Scott Road, Hout Bay, 7806 - Cape Town
Monday-Friday
9am - 5pm
Elegance Custom Made
Be the envy of everyone around you
with an everyday perfect basket handbag
designed for any occassion and every outfit.
Gootchi Tote Handbag
The eye never forgets what the heart has seen (African Proverb)
There is always something new out of Africa - Gootchi No.68!
Our inspiration for this eye catching bag comes from this striking contemporary Maasai tribal necklace. It is believed that wearing and owning African bead jewelry can give you luck, provide you with wisdom and hope and give you a good sense of well-being.
The colors of the beads are not only chosen because of the beautiful ensembles they make, but also for their symbolic values. Each color has a meaning that is often related to cattle. Cattle are the main food source of the Maasai and they sustain a deep connection with them.
Red symbolizes bravery and strength, but above all, unity as it is the color of the blood of the cow that is slaughtered when the community comes together during celebrations.
Blue symbolizes energy and represents the sky. The sky is of great importance because it provides rain for the cattle.
Green stands for the land, which grows food for the cattle. It symbolizes health.
Orange and yellow represent hospitality because they are the colors of the animal skins on guest beds.
White means purity, as it is the color of the milk from the cows, considered by the Maasai as pure and holy animals.
Finally, black symbolizes the people and all the struggles they must endure.
The beaded jewelry by the Maasai women represents the strong culture and tradition of the Kenyan tribe.
Malawian Reed Basket: Fully lined with royal blue satin with drawstring enclosure to secure contents. Embellished with African tribal bead jewelry and white fringe.
A variety of Gootchi Baskets are proudly showcased at :
The Gift Shop at Tintswalo Atlantic - Hout Bay.
Monday-Friday
9am - 5pm
Carien Steyn I first found out about Gootchi Baskets last year, and I immediately fell in love. I looked at the different baskets almost every day, until I decided that it was time to get my own. It was a very tough decision to choose only one, but I finally picked mine. The whole transaction was handled professionally and effectively, and I had my basket only two days after placing the order. The basket is even more beautiful than on the photos, and I get compliments wherever I go. I am so happy that I bought a Gootchi Basket. Your Gootchi bags are lovable...so hard to choose, you want them all. Each one is a piece of art!'
Nadine Todd Everywhere I go, ladies stop me to ask me where I bought my bag. The uniqueness of each embellished bag, the attention to detail and the beautiful finishes really make each bag stand out. One of my best buys of the year!
Tracy Craig Wonderful baskets, beautifully made. Excellent service from the start of the ordering procedure to prompt delivery. Thank you so much. Loved my baskets.
The Picture Booth I bought a Gootchi Basket Handbag for my wife’s Birthday as a surprise gift AND wow - did I luck out! Firstly, she absolutely loves this unique gift that I found, and then secondly, I get the biggest kick out of watching other women’s eyes look straight at her bag. It is so eye catching, that whenever we go to out, she gets all the looks - feeling a bit jealous!
Home of the Original Gootchi Basket Tote Handbag!
Gootchi Basket Handbags are luxurious, artisanal handbags handcrafted in Cape Town - South Africa.
With excellent craftsmanship by our skilled artisans, each handbag is a one-of-a-kind design using unique detailing, passementerie, exquisite fabrics and other materials.
Passementerie* is what gives each of our Gootchi Basket Handbags their own custom design. It is where tassels and trims are the star of the show! This artful accessory can enrich any outfit and make it looks Oh-So-Fabulous!
Did you know that by adding a showy accessory to your daily outfit, can make you feel more self-assured, more powerful, more confident and at ease to make you feel on top of the world!
We love the fun and unique design of each bag when it is paired with the use of luxury designed textiles to create a form of wearable art. On some bags, it is where modern fibers meet ethnic traditional prints from all over Africa.
It is also worth mentioning that the purchase of the embellished bags that are decorated with African Seed Beads, sees the artisans receive a percentage of the proceeds. It is our way of giving back to support the local community! This collaboration is with iKamva Labantu Charitable Trust, a non- profit organization in Cape Town. Ikamva is committed to creating sustainable socio-economic change in Cape Town's township communities. Please visit www.ikamva.org.za, they would welcome your support.
As each Gootchi Basket Handbag is custom embellished no two are the same! If a particular item is out of stock, and you would like that design, send us a message, and we will do our best to create something similar.
*Due to the delicate nature of some of the silk passementerie used - it is best to use these handbags for special occasions*
Some Gootchi Baskets are on consignment in various stores in Cape Town - please call to check on availability first before placing your on-line order: +27 (60)476-5633. We strive to keep the website's inventory updated on a regular basis.
MEDIA ARTICLE
Please paste the following link into your browser to read our interview with Musa Creativa Magazine. Published November 2020.
https://musacreativamagazine.com/2020/11/09/creative-basket-handbags-with-an-elegant-vibe/
Gootchi Baskets
TIKKI TIKKI TEMBO NO SO REMBO OO MA COOTCHI GAMMA GAMMA GOOTCHI...
Why on earth would this rather unusual rhyme pop back in my head and jolt me out of my sleep?
Coming back home to live in South Africa after living abroad for 37 years, has bought back a flood of wonderful childhood memories.
This was a story that was read to me in my childhood years growing up in Kenya. Believe it not, the entire rhyme was the full name of a small Chinese boy, slightly modified from the original by the way I remembered it from my childhood. Interestingly, the name means:
'the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world'.
When creating each of my Gootchi baskets, it brings me into a happy zone where I experience the most wonderful feeling in the whole wide world! I love working with mixed media and when I saw these baskets, I knew that had found my niche to work with them along with incorporating other African materials and local crafts into the design.
In keeping with the moral of the original story i.e. to keep things short - I chose the cute fun name Gootchi, as this best describes the nature of these fun and lively baskets. It also presents a rather interesting play on the more famous fashion brand.
Proudly presenting the Original Gootchi Basket Collection.
Here's to childhood memories and new creations...
que sera sera!