Helen Jennings

For the next instalment of our In Residence series, we meet Helen Jennings in London. As Editorial Director of Nataal — the platform she co-founded to champion global African creativity and which is now marking its tenth year — Helen has built her career at the intersection of fashion, art and storytelling rooted in the Global South. From editing Arise magazine to authoring the coffee-table book New African Fashion, hers is a voice that has shaped how the world sees, and celebrates, African creativity.

Helen Jennings for MY ROCK STARS SERIES, Hassan Hajjaj, 2019.

 

Helen, for those meeting you for the first time — who are you, and what do you do?

I'm the Editorial Director of Nataal. A London-based writer, editor and creative consultant with, I like to think, a troubadour spirit.

Walk us through your body of work — the projects you're most known for, or proudest of.

It started with editing Arise magazine, then writing the coffee-table book New African Fashion, and led me to co-founding Nataal, which has just marked ten years of championing global African creativity. My career has long been wedded to celebrating ideas and aesthetics rooted in the Global South.

We hear "African luxury" a lot. What does it mean to you?

Touched by hand. Steeped in provenance. Emotion meets purpose.

Who's an artist you're watching closely right now?

Xanthe Somers. A London-based Zimbabwean ceramicist represented by Southern Guild and a finalist for the 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. She makes outstandingly beautiful, colour-drenched objects that engage with craft traditions, environmental injustice and the legacies of colonialism.

The Weavery, Xanthe Somers, 2024. Courtesey of Southern Guild.

Which galleries do you keep going back to?

In London, The Photographers' Gallery — its exhibitions survey the role of photography in society throughout history. In Cape Town, I always pop into WhatIfTheWorld to see what fresh talent it's championing.

What's on repeat in your playlist right now? And who would you love to see live?

All hail Little Simz. A once-in-a-generation talent. I last saw her at Glastonbury and her performance brought a tear to my eye — it was that good.

Is there a country you love visiting, or one you've been longing to see?

Ethiopia had long been on my bucket list, and I finally made the trip. As I'd dreamt, Addis Ababa is a city with soul. I met local designers — Haymanot Honelgn of Hanu Bet, Solome Asfaw of Xufan — learned about the country's weaving traditions and took in the ethno-jazz scene. Top tip: don't miss Thursdays at Fabrica.

 

Where do you go for a drink, and what's your order?

Upstairs in Brixton. My order — Negroni, always.

What was the last book you read?

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson. A lyrical love story set in South London. Highly recommend.

Through your work, what are you trying to say or address?

My work is about platforming emerging creatives and co-creating meaningful projects that have no borders.

I Love Your Love, Olivia Lifungula, 2021. Nataal Digital Cover 1.

Where does a new project begin for you?

It starts with the collaborative spark between the team — what energies we're bringing together, and what cultural conversation we're inspired to evolve or challenge.

What's exciting you creatively right now?

I love watching the rise and rise of Yoshita 1967. Anil Padia's heartfelt brand has connected the crochet queens of Nairobi to the LVMH Savoir-Prize Winners via the film festival, art week and fashion week circuits. Bravo.

Temple Road, Fred Odede, 2024. Anil Padia for Yoshita 1967.

How does handcraft show up in your work?

As a writer, my heart still belongs to printed matter.

nataal.com

@nataalmedia | @hellojennings