Showing posts tagged Design
The making of a Rubina bag. A work in progress.
Check out our Facebook album that has pics from our latest product development in India. We’re working on a product with Rangsutra, that will be featured the same as the other awesome companies we’re recruiting for the Pilot. Let us know what you think and if you have any questions!
"The lesson came home very profoundly that a fashion trend decision in New York or Paris can affect the economy of an entire village that makes, for example, hand-blocked printed fabric. Because of that experience, I made a lifelong commitment to incorporate handwork into my own company’s designs."
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From Jacalyn E.S. Bennett’s article in the NYTimes “Lingerie and Enlightenment.”
(thx Noel Titus for the tip)
Stella!
The NYTimes Magazine profiled fashion designer Stella McCartney this week in the article “What Drives Stella McCartney?” I’ve never really paid much attention to her, but the way the photo essay portrays her as a good ol’ fashion, hard working, no frills yet super stylish lady caught my eye.
She’s got that “I don’t care what you think because I’d be doing this anyway” kind of thing going on, not to mention an effortless class and style that most try to emulate.
Consider me converted to Stellaism.
Creativity and Sustainability in Kumaon
Yes, I’ve been out of touch this week (sorry!), but for good reason: I was experiencing heaven on earth, or as most call it, the central Himalayan region of Kumaon in India.
I was visiting Avani, an NGO that focuses on building livelihoods in Kumaon. One of their biggest initiatives is solar energy and the other is silk weaving and textile products.
Rashmi and her husband Rajneesh bring a whole new meaning to the word R&D. They’ve led a revolution in the region that has turned locals into self-trained experts in areas like natural dyeing, solar energy, and biofuels.
I was fortunate enough to spend 2 days and nights in Sukuna, one of the remote villages they work in. The field team (pictured below) took me around with them on the Self-Help Group visits. The women here put in at least 20 Rps. each and vote on who gets to use the pot for different things in their lives, like a wedding or buying a cow. It was quite an experience as I have done work with a large microfinance network in the States but was able to see a similar model first hand.
The trek up the mountain was no joke either. We had to hike 45 minutes up off the road just to get to the main center and then another 8km up to the Self-Help Group villages. What’s so interesting is that these tiny little women are so used to zipping up and down the mountains that one was carrying a bag the size of herself in flip flops with no problem whatsoever. There was a definite language barrier in the villages (even the team could barely speak English and my Hindhi sucks) so I had a lot of time to think about how mountains are perfect metaphors for life and building a business. (I’m sure there are many other blog posts out there about that so I’ll spare you.)
The trip was great. For one, to be off the grid, and to get recharged before going into production with the companies I’ve recruited so far for the Rubina Pilot. But also, because I started some product development with Avani weavers and tailors as well. Below is a picture of me sampling a product idea with Parvati and the other tailors.
Patterns!
All found in India. Top left: shoes made by Congolese artisans being sold in the international section of the Surajkund Mela in New Delhi; Top right: floor of Mayank Kaul’s fab design studio near Saket, New Delhi; Bottom: Marble wall motif from a palace in Rajasthan.
