How Wilhelmina Myeonway Launched the First Pop Up Shop in Liberia

Liberia’s economic, educational and reproductive health challenges takes a huge toll on Liberian women. Which was why it came as a huge surprise to most Liberians that a woman could do what most women struggled to do; launching a business.

Wilhelmina Myeonway is the founder of Myeonway Designs, a Liberia-based top fashion brand founded in 2016.

She was struck by the idea to launch her own bag business when she observed bag sellers at Liberia’s famous slum, West Point, and she realized she could team up with local bag makers and artists to get them to customize bags for clients.

She was faced with inability to secure a space to sell her designs, so she opened the Monrovia Pop Up Shop, where small business owners can gather to showcase and sell at Monrovia entertainment hotspots.

It is actually rare to see a handbag blended with art. But emerging fashion designer Wilhelmina Myeonway Cooper is doing just that with her upcoming handbag designs titled ‘wearable art collection.’

Using acrylic paint, the artist cum designer paints a visual image (either picture of yourself or anything you like), that enhances and personalizes the handbag making it quite singular and distinctive.

The pop up shop has grown overtime as more businesses now utilize the platform to sell their goods.

She hopes to expand the enterprise to travel to other African countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.