When Sally Brooker Allison sources pieces for her furniture store, she has three prerequisites: quality, craftsmanship, and a story. 

The Zimbabwean-born owner of Absolutely Fabulous loves discovering the vivid narratives embedded in her unique treasures, searching for classic furnishings with a twist. For Sally, it is a lifelong passion, one borne of her love for travel and eye for style.  

“Furniture is my passion. I studied fine art, so I’ve always had an interest in this,” says Sally, who took over the business in April 2010. “It’s not about trends or keeping up with the Joneses, it’s about quality and craftsmanship. Each piece has a story.” 

Sally’s love for the exotic is central to the Absolutely Fabulous ethos. She spends approximately six weeks a year on the road, visiting destinations as far flung as Germany and India in the search for distinct, one-of-a-kind furnishings. Sally believes her African heritage has influenced the new direction of the store, which, under its previous owner, predominantly focused on South-East Asia.  

“I’ve brought in a lot of stuff from Zimbabwe and South Africa. I think I’ve tapped into a market that hasn’t existed in Cayman. My pieces are from India, Africa, Germany and Asia. I want to have a worldwide view,” Sally explains.   

“I travel to these places to source the products. It’s the fun part of my job. We set up the relationship first with the dealer, then they send samples, and then we travel to the places to make sure everything is right. It’s about building that relationship and ensuring the quality of the piece.” 

Although Sally is happy to traverse the globe in pursuit of unique finds, she admits her favourite place to visit is Zimbabwe, where she can reconnect with family and friends. But, it’s not all play and no work. Absolutely Fabulous imports a number of Zimbabwe-based furniture lines, which enables Sally to support her former colleagues and illustrate the incredible potential of African handicrafts.  

“A lot of people who I used to work with have had bad experiences and no-one has been able to see their work because of the political circumstances [in Zimbabwe],” Sally says, referring to Robert Mugabe’s incumbent ZANU-PF regime.  “I love being able to know that their work is going to be exported and we can help support them. Zimbabwe has some of the most talented artists but many of them will never be realised because of the poverty.” 

From Zimbabwe, Sally has introduced furniture constructed from reclaimed railway sleepers. The sleepers, made of Rhodesian teak, were originally used in the Cape to Cairo Railway, Cecil Rhodes’ plan to cross the African continent by rail from Cape Town in the south, to Cairo in the north, which began in the late 1800s. After more than a century under the African sun, the sleepers have been refinished and handcrafted into exquisite pieces for the home.  

“These sleepers glow with the warmth and richness of Africa’s poignant history,” says Sally. “The furniture is really one-of-a-kind and so heavy, it is almost like stone. I say one-of-a-kind because eventually these sleepers will come to an end.”  

Sally has also secured Carrol Boyes from South Africa, a line she describes as “functional art”. The namesake range, inspired by the rich culture of Africa, features stunning furnishings crafted from stainless steel, pewter, and aluminium. While Sally was attracted by Carrol Boyes’ striking aesthetic, she is also inspired by the designer’s commitment to her employees and the local community.  

“One of the most memorable trips I have taken was to the Carrol Boyes factory, on the border of Zimbabwe and South Africa,” Sally says. “[Carrol Boyes] just gives so much back to the community. She employs 400 people, and with every person she employs, she supports 10 members of their family. You just don’t find people willing to do that.” 

Sustainability is a cause Sally is passionate about. To this end, Absolutely Fabulous’ mainstay range is Old Java, an Indonesian-based line that features aged teak sourced from remote villages on the island of Java. Old Java uses new and old technology to create the distinctive pieces. The teak is dried in a kiln before it is assembled by machine. Skilled artisans, specialising in carpentry, leather and weaving, then finish each piece by hand using techniques passed down from generation to generation.  The result is furniture that is both visually stunning and eco-friendly.  

But Sally’s commitment to the environment does not end there. In April 2010, Absolutely Fabulous has partnered with Trees4Trees, a non-profit foundation also based in Indonesia that empowers local communities through reforestation initiatives and education programmes. The organisation distributes free seedlings of species commonly used in commercial furniture manufacturing, such as mahogany, mango, teak and pine.  

“I want pieces that aren’t made cheaply, so trees are not just cut down without a thought,” Sally says. “That’s something I’m very passionate about. [In the furniture business] you see so many pieces that are made from really young wood that has just been cut down without any thought of reforestation. You can buy these pieces from the side of the road in Asia. 

“I’ve joined with Trees4Trees because they give back to the community. People aren’t just cutting down trees without any thought to sustainability.” 

For Sally, helping a customer find the right furniture for their home is her favourite part of the job. She loves knowing that these unique pieces will bring joy to the owner for years to come.   

“Some people are interested in the stories behind the pieces, others aren’t so much,” Sally says. “[I think] my pieces are truly breathtaking and last forever. It is so nice to see a customer’s face when they’re found a piece they love.”   

I’ve joined with Trees4Trees because they give back to the community. People aren’t just cutting down trees without any thought to sustainability