Who We Are

WhatWeCherish is a collaborative WOC-owned network of passionate women who are recognised leaders within our fields. Our team comprises creatives, communications specialists, marketers, buyers and legal professionals. We are a virtual marketplace, based on sustainable business practices, offering a curated selection of luxury accessories, décor and self-care products crafted around Africa. We love the products we support and the ideas we cherish reflect our unwavering pursuit of a happier and more sustainable future for all. We champion African design to take up its rightful space in the global creative economy. This is our stage. The brands are the artists and, together, we weave new stories and paint new pictures through a focused curation of what luxury looks and feels – from an African perspective.

Our Story

“Our focus is different.”

We created WhatWeCherish in 2021 to celebrate responsible and conscious brands that are exceptionally designed through an attractive and quality-driven webshop. We pioneer positive purpose and reshape dominant perceptions of the African goods market in the luxury space by offering a thoughtfully curated selection of brands faithful to the art of small-batch, handmade sustainable luxury items made in Africa. Our brands focus on authenticity, with an aesthetic vision that allows the high quality of materials and the artistry to shine while revealing the craftsmanship. We strive to support small brands that uphold heritage, transparency through sustainable practices and empower women artisans to generate sustainable income from their traditional skills. We do so by sharing their brand stories and showcasing the exquisite objects they produce from Africa.

What We Value

We value unpretentious consumerism by showcasing brands whose philosophies align with our core beliefs. Firstly, we believe in the advancement of exceptionally designed African crafts that promote African heritage, skills and culture. Our range of handmade products seek to celebrate and promote traditional techniques, judicious use of materials and practices that have survived across the ages. Secondly, we believe in empowering women and highlighting women-led businesses.
Finally, we believe in transparency in support of sustainability.

The Founder

“We want Africa’s sustainable luxury design to take its rightful place in the world’s creative economy.” Melaney Oldenhof, Founder of WhatWeCherish

WWC founder and creative director Melaney Oldenhof worked a decade as a creative consultant and fashion stylist in New York City. As a Market Editor, Melaney noticed a lack of well-curated online offerings. She explored the market for sustainable craft luxury products in various countries, and what began to come sharply into focus for her was the under-representation of the market for African creators. Hence the birth of WhatWeCherish, a creative platform celebrating a future of honouring Africa’s sustainable luxury products that will forever remain in your home and heart. WWC’s mission is to showcase the art, talent and inspiring stories of African designers and the beauty of the handmade goods they create.

Sustainable & Positive Curation

We created What We Cherish to celebrate responsible and conscious brands that are expceptionally designed through an attractive and quality- driven webshop. We assess each brand and item on our platform with these symbols to show you, as a conscious consumer, why we love them and to help you to choose products that truly matter.