De Beers Taps Botswana Basket Weavers to Bolster Natural Diamond Branding

De Beers is backing Botswana-based master basket weaver Shakunona Parata at Homo Faber 2026 in Venice, the latest push to tie natural diamonds to the craft traditions of the countries where they are mined. Parata will demonstrate her weaving live in the A Rooted Ascent room and present a new sculptural work, Diware, created with Peter Mabeo of Mabeo Studio.

The collaboration is part of De Beers' wider partnership with Mabeo Studio, which also includes a commission for Frieze Masters in London this October. There, the studio will work with basket weavers, potters and wood carvers from Botswana on a new piece for Voyage Through the Diamond Realm, Chapter Two.

Parata is a member of the Ngamiland Basket Weavers from north-western Botswana. She learned her craft from her mother and grandmother. Her materials are locally gathered, and her work is guided by the Okavango River and its seasonal cycles. The Diware sculpture combines woven palm leaves, porcupine quills, carved wood and semi-precious stones. It draws on the Manyevora, a traditional Mbukushu attire associated with a historic healing ceremony now more commonly expressed through dance.

"My life and that of the river are connected," Parata said in a statement. "The flood plains of the Okavango river guides my activities and rituals. My basket weaving practice is an extension of nature, of the river through the materials it yields."

For De Beers, the partnership reinforces a marketing strategy centred on provenance and the link between natural diamonds and the landscapes they come from. The company has faced growing competition from lab-grown diamonds, which have eroded market share in the lower price tiers. Botswana is the world's second-largest diamond producer by value, and De Beers has a long-standing partnership with the government through Debswana, the joint venture that operates the country's major mines.

Lynn Serfaty, General Manager. Natural Diamonds at De Beers, said: "Shakunona Parata's work at Homo Faber reflects the skill, dedication and heritage that shape the relationship between natural materials and craft. We are pleased to support her collaboration with Beullah Serema and Peter Mabeo of Mabeo Studio."

The Homo Faber appearance follows South African artist Abongile Sidzumo's participation in August. Homo Faber 2026 is curated by Artistic Director Es Devlin under the theme An Island of Light, which explores the interplay between light, materials and creativity.

Mabeo Studio said: "Homo Faber presents an opportunity to consider relationship. While it is helpful to recognise the highly valued and respected individual maker, in our studio, we also see it as worthwhile to be aware of how any practice is but a small expression of a whole."

The Frieze Masters commission in London this October will be the next milestone for the partnership. No further details on the piece have been released.