Tshimuntu, the family heritage of three sisters behind the TIMUNTU concept store

Originally from Congo-Brazzaville and driven by a strong cultural heritage, the three founding sisters — Aline, Inès and Marcelle — have shaped a place in their image: welcoming, inspiring and human.
It was Aline, who had been passionate about African aesthetics since the 2000s—still underrepresented at the time—who led the way. In Paris, then in New York, she created interior design boutiques celebrating the African art of living. Over time, the desire to open a new store dedicated to African know-how and stories continued to grow. The TIMUNTU concept store was born.
TIMUNTU is a word from Bantu languages ​​that means "I am because you are." It expresses the interdependence between beings , and carries essential values: solidarity, love, empathy . Principles that their father—a trade unionist, anti-colonialist activist, and figure of the independence of Congo-Brazzaville—instilled in them from childhood.
Inès Matsika

Inès Matsika

Inès Matsika

Inès is a writer and creator of editorial concepts and podcasts. A lover of words, she profiles talents in the art of living sector for communication agencies (Publicis, Plume Rédaction) and for her personal projects (her website "The Fashion Stories", her podcast "Dans lerétro de la mode"). A graduate of INA, she also supports brands to promote, in an editorial manner, their history and their know-how from their archives (Louis Vuitton, Chaumet, Longchamp). Inès brings more than 20 years of experience to TIMUNTU. She draws on her career in the worlds of fashion and luxury to curate the art of living brands present in the concept store. She supervises the platform and creates the editorial content of the site.
Aline Matsika

Aline Matsika

Aline Matsika

For over twenty-five years, Aline has been transforming interiors in Paris, Cannes, New York, Mallorca, and Zurich. A decorator and architect, she infuses her vision of beauty into a variety of spaces, from private residences to yachts and hotels. In 2019, she notably created and designed the Palacio Can Marques, a 5-star boutique hotel in Mallorca. Her signature style: a blend of characterful furniture, high-quality materials, and meticulous finishing touches. After founding Concept Ethnic in the 1990s, an African decor boutique based in Paris (Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés) and New York, Aline returns to her original essence with TIMUNTU: imagining, selecting, and showcasing the best of African creations, in a space she has decorated herself.
Marcelle Matsika

Marcelle Matsika

Marcelle Matsika

Marcelle is a pharmacist, epidemiologist, and public health expert. She has worked for over twenty years in Africa (Chad, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Lesotho) with multilateral organizations (World Bank, WHO) and non-governmental organizations. With "Our Potential," Marcelle has reinvented herself as a social entrepreneur and yoga instructor. She teaches therapeutic yoga classes to individuals and in hospitals to provide relief to people with chronic illnesses. A dancer and choreographer, she blends the Horton Modern dance technique with other artistic influences. Her repertoire primarily celebrates African heritage in the Americas and around the world. For TIMUNTU, Marcelle contributes to the strategic planning and development of the company's operations. She also deploys her solidarity-based wellness approach to the artisan communities with which the concept store works. She combines her health expertise and her yoga teachings to develop the “Care” aspect of the company.