PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Matipa Mutsemi’s clothing store, EnnYe, is the latest store and the first of its kind inside one of St. Pete’s most desired pieces of real estate.

EnnYe features clothing, furniture and art, all sourced from Africa.

“So, all the fabric comes from Africa. All places in Africa, but I’m from Zimbabwe. So when I go home to visit my parents, they’re still there, I pick up the fabric from there,” Mutsemi said. “We get fabric that we want to wear and we wear our stuff all of the time.”

Each fabric tells a different story. Mutsemi said she has a favorite.

“The name of it is bogolan, which means 'earth to cloth.' And it was very heavy. The actual bogolon cloth is very heavy, but it was good for protection from animals, insects when men went hunting, but also women wore it when they gave birth,” she said.

Mutsemi moved to the U.S. to study and practice law, but says she soon realized she needed some of home with her.

“I want to feel a sense of connection always with Africa, with Zimbabwe and being part of the American culture and the corporate and working, I’m an attorney by trade and going to work every day, I just wanted to feel like there was some part of me representing where I was from,” she said.

With help from her older sister, she created the contemporary African clothing line and opened their brand new store named after their mother, EnnYe.

“A lot of people saw African print outfit as more “costumey,” which is also really good for special occasions if you have like a ball to go to or a wedding. But I wanted to incorporate it into everyday life,” she said.

Whether it’s colorful sleeveless capes, custom benches from their home collection or dresses made with fabrics that remind you of a sweet kiss, customers will be able to be draped in designs from Africa by just traveling to their new store located at 300 Beach Dr. in St. Pete.

“It’s really a big blessing and also a weight, right? That I have to put my best foot forward because if I do well, others can come,” Mutsemi said.

It’s a high bar, but one she plans to reach, decked out in designs from Africa.

The store features an art gallery with work for sale made by African-based artists.