Last January, Steven Kolb travelled to Guatemala with Stephanie Von Watzdorf of Figue, Livia Firth of EcoAge, Carmen Busquets, Pacunam’s Marianne Hernandez, Carolina Klienman, Nest’s Rebecca Van Bergen, CFDA members Donna Karan and Naeem Khan and CFDA’s Sara Kozlowski.
Fast forward, and earlier this month, Eco-Age and Parsons School of Design hosted a film screening where Parsons students and faculty and industry professionals including Julie Gilhart and CFDA’s 2018-19 Elaine Gold Launchpad Fellows Moya Annence and Ashley Cimone of Ashya, were invited to explore Guatemala through the screening of Fashion Scapes: Artisan Guatemaya, which Kolb jokingly described as a “reality show called ‘Absolutely Fabulous.’”
The screening was followed by a panel discussion on the artisan economy – the forgotten end of the supply chain, with Kolb, Busquets, Hernandez, and Bergen. The panel was, led by Firth.
“What we realized is the potential is infinite,” Hernandez noted. “And this film brings some light into craftsmanship.”
“Well to be honest, I didn’t really want to go on this trip,” Kolb joked. “I’ve been to Guatemala before for a wedding, but this trip showed me a whole different part of the country – learning about the dyes and how plants, fruits, and trees make these colors. At CFDA, we just launched a sustainability hub which includes artisan.”
On the topic of cultural appropriation versus appreciation, Busquets stated, “It’s about not forgetting the seamstress that is doing our dress. We need to move the conversation from ‘I’ to ‘we’ – we are stronger together.”
Firth suggested, “We need to work together with the artisans and collaborate with them as they have more knowledge than the designers.”
How do we also impact the consumer?
“The biggest weapons against fast fashion are these stories,” said Firth.
“I think it’s about storytelling, but also the transparency of it all,” added Kolb.
Is sustainability in fashion becoming a trend? And is that a good thing or a bad thing? “Sustainability in fashion is a good thing,” Kolb said, “and if someone is doing something good we should support them.”
Download NEST’s State of Handworker Economy Report here.
