The Artists

Gisele Saidi Kasumba

Congolese Gisele, known affectionately by her friends as ‘Madam’, is not only a talented needlepoint artist but also an aspiring fashion designer. Her signature style is artfully blending different colours together in her embroidery and appliqué work.

Life is tough back in Congo, and Taunina provides the building blocks for a more promising future for Gisele, her husband, and their one-year-old. It’s for that reason, she says, that everything she makes must be perfect and is infused with love.

Like any young mom, she has little time for anything other than running after a busy toddler, but she loves poring over the pages of Oprah and Cosmo to catch up on the latest trends.