Faty Ly is an African woman entrepreneur born in Senegal with more than 20 years of experience in the world of crafts, design and gastronomy. Faty, whose real name is Fatimata Ly, is a passionate ceramic designer of African tradition and founder of the Faty Ly a lifestyle brand that specializes in tableware and contributes to preserving African cultures as a heritage to anchor them in the collective memory.
Born into a family where African art held an important place, it is quite natural that she gradually began to take an interest in it. A budding passion led her to the International Handicraft Fair in Ouagadougou in 2000, where she met Diénébou Zon, a potter from Bobo-Dioulasso. Impressed by her artisanal technique, she decided to train there and in 2005 joined the Central Saint-Martins, one of the most prestigious art and design schools in the world, where she discovered industrial ceramics.
Her passion for ceramics began in the late 1990s and materialized with the opening of a gallery in Dakar, in 2001. A space dedicated to crafts with the contribution of West-African artisans. Faty’s collaboration with artisans and leading manufacturers has enabled her to promote more than ever, the highest standards in craftsmanship and savoir-faire for the design of lifestyle products inspired by African cultures.
Wishing to contribute to the life and development of her country, she returned to settle in Dakar in 2010 and created a design studio with an industrial designer friend. It is in 2015 that she will launch her brand: Faty ly. Attracted by period portraits, she draws and pays tribute to Senegalese and African women through her collections of plates, now distributed all over the world.
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In addition to that, she has collaborated with chocolatiers and chefs for the promotion of Senegalese culinary heritage, in particular with Mind of a Chef, Food and Wine Magazine. Faty is also a founding member of Afroeats, a Festival of African Cuisine and Local Food Products.
A graduate of Central Saint Martins, a global melting pot of art and design. Faty also holds a Master’s degree in Design Management from the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. She is currently a board member of Africa Design School in Benin, West Africa.
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