The Kemayous

How it started

Two young Africans in Shanghai, trying to understand how China was building itself.

Michèle was born and raised in Timbuktu (Mali) and studied in France. Yanick was born and raised in Bafoussam (Cameroon) and studied in Germany. We met in Shanghai.

We've been building ever since: a family, Kabakoo, and beautiful things made by people we know.

Michèle and Yanick smiling side by side at Universität Paderborn — Universität Paderborn, Germany. Photo: Lehrstuhl für Personalwirtschaft.

We believe in all old kids.

We believe in a life making room for wonder.

We believe in a life of happiness, meaning, and exploration.

What we wear

We don't coordinate. Really. The dyes do.

Strangers stop us in Vienna, Paris and New York to ask where we bought it. Straight outta the Sahel.

About nine days in ten we rock fashion woven by hand and dyed only with plants and minerals. Ousmane Diallo of Atelier Yiriba weaves and dyes it. Michèle designs it. Moussa tailors it at the Kabakoo Textile Lab.

Indigoblue

Mpekubrown

Ngalamayellow

Bogolanblack

A rail of handwoven garments in indigo, brown and yellow — Some pieces of our everyday garments.

Michèle smiling in a garden in a striped handwoven top — Michèle wearing pieces designed by her, woven by Ousmane Diallo, and tailored by Moussa Diallo. Here in Paderborn.

Each piece is intentional. With care.

The record wall at home began as a four-page brief: shelf heights, cable holes, the weight of the records.

Local teak, built by Cheribain Enock Togboui in his workshop in Kégué, Lomé. The painting is a piece by Amadou Sanogo.

Same with the table: we designed it, Steven Kwami Dodji Agbétoglo made it and designed the chairs. The work on the wall is by Ibrahim Bemba Kébé.

A wall of records shown face-out above a teak console with a turntable, a large painting beside it — Our record wall. Painting by Amadou Sanogo.

A live-edge wooden table on a dark pedestal with carved wooden chairs, a textile work on the wall and a garden through the windows — The table, the chairs, and Ibrahim Bemba Kébé's work.

Low view of the table's dark pedestal between carved wooden chairs

Dinner comes in earth…enware.

Flatbreads in an orange earthenware bowl, home-made falafels.

A cake topped with cream and crushed pistachio. Whole flour. No refined sugar, no dairy.

Ice cream and a chocolate fondant. Whole flour. No refined sugar, no dairy.

We eat from earthenware, and we work with potters like Kassim Barry to design what we need.

We looove cooking with friends. We love dessert too. The last time we bought refined sugar in our household was in 2017. So we have refined our recipes using dates as sweetener; and we mastered getting the perfect gelato without dairy. Be our guest any time.

Our three children sorting rice. — Rice duty.

Michèle laughing with Kassim Barry and Yanick in the pottery workshop — With Kassim Barry, in his workshop.

Yanick, Marlène and Michèle in the kitchen with trays of sesame buns — Bun day with Marlène.

Two children in pyjamas on a rooftop at dusk beside a telescope and bedding

Wonder! Wonder! We slept on the roof to catch Saturn and its rings. Want to join us to stargaze?

Forever old kids

The world is the classroom.

We learn with the kids, at home and everywhere else. They teach us. We teach them.

A child with arms flung wide, mirroring two dancers in a large painting — Dancing with Famakan Magassa. AG18 Gallery, Vienna.

Michèle explaining an exhibit to the three children — MoMA, New York.

The eldest child photographing the Empire State Building from a New York street — Our eldest, shooting the Empire State Building. New York, 2025.

Three children on a terrace, playing balafon and kora — Balafon, kora, singing and dancing.

Children building a tall tower of wooden planks in front of hanging cloths in mustard, rust and indigo — Building at home, ngalama yellow, mpeku brown, and indigo blue. Works even as a simple installation at home.

Wonder is part of it

Following our curiosity.

We develop pieces with makers, from garments to earthenware and furniture. The people we make things with are part of the story.

Time with makers, artists and friends. Places still being made. The pleasure of discovering how something works, or seeing a familiar thing differently.

Yanick laughing, arms crossed, with Cheick Diallo seated under a woven dome — With Tonton Cheick, Cheick Diallo, under Le Nid's woven dome. Bamako.

Pots being cast in Médina-Coura, Bamako.

Le Nid started as an idea the two of us brought to Cheick Diallo (Centre Pompidou, Brooklyn Museum, Vitra Design Museum, etc.). In Médina-Coura, we went with Cheick and our friend Josef to watch pots being cast.

A donso in a headwrap, woven collar and brown tunic, holding a harp-lute in a rock shelter, Michèle behind him — Siby, 2024. Styled by Michèle for La voie du Donsoya.

In Siby, Michèle styled the donso for La voie du Donsoya, a VR film we produced on the donsoya.

We made it with anthropologist Dr Soumaila Camara, painter Amadou Sanogo, artist Ange Dakouo and designer Jean Kassim. Donsos hold spiritual and ecological knowledge.

Friends who visit end up making something. We love creating together.

When friends came to Bamako from Düsseldorf, Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin, Dubai, and Munich, we set up a bogolanfini workshop: cloth, plant dyes, clay, and brushes.

Friends painting mud onto cloth around a table during a bogolanfini workshop

Also part of our life

We co-founded Kabakoo, where our work centres on learning and economic mobility for young people in West Africa.

Meet Kabakoo ↗

A Times Square billboard showing Michèle Traoré of Kabakoo among the 2025 Elevate Prize winners — Michèle on a Times Square billboard as a 2025 Elevate Prize winner ↗

Yanick smiling on stage at Istanbul Innovation Days — Yanick speaking at Istanbul Innovation Days. Photo: Istanbul Innovation Days.

Must Unite

Majanga Rocks. Funky Bafoussam.Soul of the Grassfields. Sahara blues.Sweet mothers. Sisters and brothers.Carnival of real. Let's dance. Together.

Yanick laughing in an indigo handwoven jacket, Michèle laughing beside him, Oxford — In conversation. Skoll World Forum, Oxford, 2026. Photo: Fisher Studios.

What could we explore together?

We love to meet people who bring curiosity, care and generosity to an encounter.

A shared meal, a studio visit, an idea about learning, or something we could make together. We enjoy hosting and being welcomed into other people’s worlds.

Ask whoever sent you this to introduce us.Tell us what resonates, what you're exploring, or who you think we would enjoy meeting.

Know someone who would relate?Share this page with them.

Love & Gratitude, Michèle & Yanick