The best fashion and gift stores Saint-Louis

Rama Diaw is a fashion designer who has been spotted on the Senegalese and international scene. She has participated in several European shows (Labo Ethnic in Paris, Festival landshut in Germany, Fashion-Week in Vienna), and opened this show-room, where you can find little wonders. Clothes (mainly for women), bags, shoes and accessories, Senegalese fashion is revisited with taste and elegance by this passionate Saint-Louisienne. Don't hesitate to take a look around, there are really beautiful items in this fashionable and chic shop!

Maï Diop, creator of the Tësss brand, heads up this showroom workshop. You'll find locally produced fabrics in the Mandjak tradition, including loincloths, cushions, bags and table runners. Tësss aims to rediscover the forgotten motifs of traditional loincloths, still appreciated today. Maï Diop, with the help of her craftsmen, also creates made-to-measure fabrics for her customers. A stone's throw from the boutique is the weavers' workshop, where you can appreciate their delicate work on an imposing loom.

Mourad, a Moroccan stylist who used to work for Maison Singer, has opened his own small boutique where he creates unique and beautiful pieces. Here, everything is handmade until the last finishing touches. There are jackets, loincloths, coats and bags, among other items. In addition to Mourad's creations, the store has a plethora of high quality sub-Saharan fabrics, making it even more difficult to choose. Custom-made clothes can also be made.

Diapalante is a vocational training and integration centre for young people in difficulty, mainly in the environmental and sustainable development professions. In order to generate income to finance its activities, a solidarity shop has been set up with a strong emphasis on local craftsmanship. Paintings, jewelry, batik fabrics, lamps and other decorative objects, you will have a choice of quality. The centre also offers two guest rooms, in a bioclimatic building, which offer basic but pleasant comfort.

Born in 1984, the Centre d'Etudes Recherche-Action pour le Développement de la zone Soudano-Sahélienne (CERADS) is a French NGO helping the development of populations through local initiatives. The association thus had the idea of transforming typha, an invasive plant from the Senegal River, into papyrus according to the traditional Egyptian method. These leaves are then painted by artists, becoming real works of art. The low-concentration soda used in the papyrus manufacturing process is recycled into soaps and soaps.

Already as a child, Meïssa Fall, when he helped his father in his work as a bicycle repairman, imagined sculptures with bicycle parts. He took up the torch by opening his own repair shop, while adding his own touch of creativity. Here bicycle parts get a second life and take on the appearance of characters, musical instruments or animals. Unique works of art for which he was elected best artist designer in Saint-Louis in 2017. Take a look at his workshop, you'll be surprised by his imagination!

A jeweller like his father, who passed on the trade to him, Ameth Thiam has travelled a lot and his creations are affected by it. You will find in his small shop, located in front of the Ambush, earrings of Tuareg origin, Mauritanian bracelets, pocket knives in warthog horn or silver filigree rings. Come in at least to have a look, his creations are worth the detour. If you stay in town for a few days, you can also order custom-made jewellery. Very friendly welcome.

Next to the famous Saint-Louis butcher shop, the small boutique of Mamadou, an adopted Saint-Louisian, offers a range of souvenirs to take home: sand paintings, batik fabrics, Senegalese clothing and leather sandals. He also sells beautiful bogolans, traditional Malian loincloths, which can be used as quilts or bedspreads. If you like a fabric and want a custom-made garment, Mamadou can put you in touch with one of his tailor friends, who will make your outfit in no time, for a small fee.

Gilles has returned to his first love, his bookstore with a wealth of rare books, second-hand novels of Western literature, African sculptures, newspapers from the end of the last century, limited edition postcards and books on African culture. One comes to stroll, perhaps to find the rare pearl, in this cultural place which also hosts exhibitions. And if you go even further, in the inner courtyard, you'll discover singular wrought-iron sculptures, works by Meïssa Fall. A place not to be missed!

At the corner of one of the main streets of Saint-Louis, in front of Ndar Ndar Café, this small store is full of typical souvenirs to bring back from the land of Teranga. Wooden sculptures, African masks, bogolans, bracelets, various wax items, sand paintings and fixtures, you should find your happiness! It has been run for more than 15 years by Sidi Sow, a discreet and friendly trader, with whom you will have to haggle. So use your negotiating skills to buy your favorite items at the right price!