Since 1992, Cape Town-based designer Elana van der Walt has been capturing the essence of ‘girlyness’ – with the personal touch of original handpainting, which makes each garment a unique work of art.

Initially, Elana started painting on her daughter's T-shirts. Then she applied the technique to other finished garments - eventually painting lengths of cloth, to cut the garments from. The first collections cut from these large 'canvasses' were introduced in Cape Town under the 'Inka' label. Two years later, Elana established 'INDYGO'. Retailing at the V&A Waterfront Craft market raised sharp interest and she soon found herself making orders for local & upcountry childrenswear boutiques.

When her husband Chris joined the business in 1998, 'INDYGO ARTWEAR' was incorporated and they set up factory by building a barn behind their Hout bay home. Export avenues opened up and the brand was launched in the USA.

Outgrowing the barn, they relocated in 2002 to Woodstock, the heart of Cape Town's garment district at the foot of Table Mountain.