Lucille Nyikuri: Creating Distinctive Jewellery From Cow Horns for Markets Worldwide

Lucille Nyikuri repurposes cattle horn into elegant, distinctive jewellery and her striking craftsmanship is seeing her jewellery snapped in luxury markets worldwide.

Charles Wachira, bird story agency

What would a vice president at SC Johnson Business School at Cornell University in the United States, an interior design ambassador in New York, and an associate professor at America’s first research university, have in common?

Wamwari Waichungo is Vice President for Global Safety Assessment and Regulatory Affairs at SC Johnson, Patti Carpenter is based in New York City and is a global trend ambassador for Maison et Objet, a prominent French trade fair for interior design, while Marlene Williams is Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The answer is that despite not knowing each other and operating in entirely different sectors, all three exclusively purchase jewellery from Lukagwa African Art and Jewellers Company, a 14-year-old Nairobi-based wearable art business boutique.

“Lukagwa’s jewellery is appealing to me because of its design and its handwork. There is texture, weight, subtleties of colour and intricacy that is always fresh and can complement a variety of outfits,” said Carpenter.

Lucille Lukagwa doing her thing.

“I feel I can discover a new bead or trinket each time I wear the necklaces because they are so dense and layered. I prefer the short, multi-strand versions and constantly get compliments on them each time I wear them,” she added.

Carpenter said she discovered the brand when Lucille Nyikuri, the sole proprietor of the business, was marketing her products at NY NOW – the largest home and gift wholesale trade show in New York.

Williams also discovered the brand at a conference where Nyikuri was vending;  “I loved the unique jewellery and continued to purchase.  I get compliments all the time,” she said of her discovery four years ago.