Nigerian fashion brand, House of Js, founded by Jolly Precious Amaka, is set to unveil its latest bag, Sapphire, on October 1, 2026, as the brand continues to expand its creative offerings.
The new design follows the brand’s debut Jade collection and draws inspiration from nature, the moon, personal growth and transformation.
According to Jolly Precious, the Sapphire bag was inspired by the shape and symbolism of the crescent moon, which she described as a representation of hope, love, brightness and different aspects of the human experience.
“I was inspired by nature and the shine of the moon. Shaped as a crescent, I thought about how the moon illuminates the world at night from whatever angle,” Jolly said.
“The quilts ‘squares’ represent several parts of the illusion of the moon. To some, the moon is just for brightness, to others it is a symbol of love or hope. It represents a part of the human experience that cannot be altered.”
She explained that Sapphire follows House of Js’ practice of naming its bags after precious stones, adding that the new design would be available in red, black and brown.
Unlike the Jade collection, Jolly Precious said Sapphire was developed as a standalone design because of its distinctive concept and manufacturing process.
“Sapphire is a standalone bag, not released with any collection. It should have been released as our debut bag, but it took a lot to manufacture, so it comes unique,” she said.
“It is definitely not a bag to be seen in any store, as it took a lot of intentionality and intellectual property to make this design.”
The creative process lasted more than three months and involved several samples before the final design was achieved.
Jolly Precious said the bag was produced with microfiber leather, which she described as a durable material suitable for the African market.
“The bag is made with microfiber leather, for its sustainability in the African market to outlive cowhide as we want a bag that does last in whatever weather or condition,” she said.
She said House of Js considered several materials, including PU leather, cowhide and sheep leather, before settling on microfiber.
“PU leather was not good enough for the concept and cowhide leather was quite fancy. The only option we had was sheep leather, which would take longer to get, from the tanning of the leather in a specific condition to them making the bags in a specific way,” Jolly explained.
“Microfiber proved to be more durable for the design pattern of the bag. It was not an easy decision but in order to bring the design to life as imagined, we had to choose microfiber.”
The crescent shape also forms a major part of the bag’s symbolism, with Jolly linking it to growth and transformation.
“A crescent moon represents growth in the design to me, but of course our buyers have a specific meaning to what the crescent moon represents, hence the quilted ‘boxes’ on the bag as designed,” she said.
“Every answer has a space to sit for every buyer.”
Jolly Precious Amaka also explained the decision to introduce the bag in red, despite sapphire traditionally being associated with other colours.
“Why must it be rigid, when growth is possible even in the abnormal?” she said, describing the colour choice as another expression of the brand’s emphasis on individuality and transformation.
She said Sapphire was designed to accommodate different lifestyles and occasions, rather than being limited to a particular setting.
“To be honest, Sapphire can be styled for whatever occasion you have. It is not just a party or work bag. It is designed for all occasions,” Jolly said.
The founder disclosed that the production process was accompanied by several challenges, including difficulty sourcing materials, rejected samples and delays associated with the leather.
“I had quite a lot of challenges with the manufacturing. It took over three months to bring this beauty to life. From not having the materials needed, to having wrong samples to delay as a result of the leather,” she said.
“I am absolutely glad and give God the glory that Sapphire is here to stay.”
Jolly Precious said she wants customers to develop their own interpretations of the bag and its quilted details.
“I really want our customers to have a unique story to fit into the quilts of what Sapphire means to them. Sapphire is all about growth, specifically made for a transformed woman. So be a Sapphire,” she said.
The Sapphire bag will officially launch on October 1, 2026, with 300 pieces produced for the initial release. It will be available through the House of Js website and its social media channels.
Jolly Precious described the release as a significant milestone for the fashion brand, saying House of Js would continue to explore new creative opportunities.
“This new release is a great milestone for us at House of Js. We are glad for growth and aim to work higher to achieve more,”Jolly said.
She disclosed that the brand’s next major release would most likely come in 2027, with plans for an exclusive House of Js clothing collection, while the brand also continues to explore collaborations with other designers.
“For now, see you on October 1st,” she added.
For more information visit: https://housesofjs.com
Comments
Post a Comment