Plain Tiger Spotlight: Matter of Fakt

A culmination of whimsical memories combined with an appreciation of contemporary African adornments.

By Jana Leonard

Mary-Anne, a self-taught jewellery designer, hand-forged jewellery from the sandy shores of southern Africa, inspired by the African desert and its hidden natural quartz stones and crystals. These discoveries were made as a young girl daydreaming amongst the sand dunes of the Namib Desert, when holidaying with her grandparents.

Matter of Fakt is a culmination of whimsical memories combined with an appreciation of contemporary African adornments. Each piece crafted by the team consists of the look and feel of the raw stone pieces, which are distinctly avant-garde.

Here, the promise of freedom and hedonism is equally as intoxicating as the dreamlike African landscapes this bespoke jewellery is inspired from. “We create raw pieces, they are perfectly imperfect and people gravitate towards that and the natural elements in the range.” says Mary-Anne.

When asked to choose her favourite pieces from her collections, she kindly shared that “my Fruition Pendant is worn above my heart every day, the Kai signet ring is also a staple statement piece on my pinky, and lastly, the Vista Hoops are diverse by adding a pendant for something extra in the evening.”

Matter of Fakt’s inaugural collection - featuring Raw Stones and Crystal necklaces, rings and bracelets encased in brass and a smaller range of designs in silver - garnered much acclaim by South Africa’s creative who’s-who at the 2014 Design Indaba. In October of the same year, Matter of Fakt’s second collection, Mirage, launched. It features new colours and shapes, inspired by the tempestuous beaches and desert landscapes of the West Coast of Southern Africa.

Matter Of Fakt may be made in South Africa, but it is quickly becoming much sought after in the globe’s lodges and resorts “for customers to purchase as tokens for memories.” says Mary-Anne.

“We manufacture all our pieces in our workshop in Woodstock, Cape Town. We have a strong brand ethos of making locally with only solid metals. Matter Of Fakt pieces are symbolic pieces destined to become heirlooms.” she adds.

The perfect gift to yourself, or someone else.