Who we are

 Zainab Sumu Primitive Modern creates limited edition designs for the culture connoisseur. Our versatile, one of a kind, designs respond to your need for a sophisticated expression that transcends the mundane.

With her travels across the African Diaspora as inspiration, our founder Zainab Sumu, creates designs that immerse one in the beauty of color, texture and imagination.

Our textiles are sustainably produced in a 75 year old textile mill in Como Italy, using natural fibers including silk, wool, linen, and cotton.

Whether styled for the home or fashion, our colors and fabrics connote joy and classic sophistication.

MEET ZAINAB

A thread travels through time    from the bustling marketplaces of Freetown to the verdant vistas of Kono, from the glittering boulevards of Paris to the smart streets of London, from the sun drenched sky of Los Angeles to the tree-lined streets of Somerville uniting the unique journey of Zainab Sumu and her multidisciplinary body of artwork. This thread is one of beauty that’s found across cultures and genres, that elicits a primal response and that has the power to unify us all.

Sumu graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design’s Fashion and Textiles Program in Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to that, she ran an eponymous boutique featuring the work of Junya Watanabe, Azzedine Alaia and Martin Margiela, among other bespoke brands in Los Angeles, California. She previously studied in London, England. She was raised in Paris, France and before that, in Freetown and Kono, Sierra Leone, Africa.

A true citizen of the world, Zainab Sumu currently works in Somerville at Studio Znabu.

For all collaborations & client inquiries please contact info@zainabsumu.com