"We work in disadvantaged communities and we try to bring people into the value chain," Abrima says. "It's process of collaboration. And along the way, there’s economic empowerment, skills training and education for their partners and collaborators - from farmers and artisans to graphic designers and stylists. It's those traditional techniques and styles mixed with modern sensibilities that make for pieces that should appeal to both the international and local consumer, Abrima says. We try to show how the world is so much more similar than it is different, and how so many different cultures have taken from different places to create something international. "Indigo is like the natural denim, and you find it in all parts of the world. "We try to achieve harmony by making this beautiful patchwork," Abrima says. Those fabrics are then transported to Ghana, where Studio One Eighty Nine tailors and seamstresses work to create the fabric. Take their lush, Indigo Patchwork Midi Kimono, with its deep ocean of blues and textures: the company collaborates with communities in Mali to create the textiles from scratch, with indigo dyes extracted directly from plants. Studio One Eighty Nine's interest and process begins long before the final birth of each piece. The pair are working to increase the market share of the fashion industry for producers and designers across the continent, bringing artisans and marginalized communities into the fold and promoting traditional techniques. Their private-label is chock full of indigo, batik, and hand-painted items, and handmade baskets and jewelry. Studio One Eighty Nine has its own private label, producing lines with strong elements of African traditional (or African-inspired) techniques, while supporting and promoting other brands. And in the case of Studio One Eighty, it might even mean upping your game. They're proving - to those of us who are clearly a little behind the curve - that ethical fashion doesn't mean compromising on style. The eco-friendly, socially conscious company is making quiet but steady waves in the fashion world, and their responsible platform continues to grow. It's a brand that's clearly been built on a foundation of friendship, trust and a deep respect for cultures and arts with long and sometimes ancient histories. Founded by Abrima Erwiah, a former Bottega Veneta communications exec, and her partner Rosario Dawson (yes, that one), Studio One Eighty Nine relies on traditional textiles and techniques in the creation of a brand that's thoroughly modern, and thoroughly artisan. Look good, feel good, and do good - that's as good as it gets." We believe in the power of collaboration with artisanal communities and rising through fashion. "Everything you do, from what you buy to how you dress, has an impact. There are brands that embody and work for that respect, like Studio One Eighty Nine. There's something good, sustainable, even wise about respecting the value of what's come before in creativity and culture. Think, perhaps, of the old ways of dying indigo and shibori and batik patterns, the creation of natural textiles pulled from the ground in ways that are kind to the ground, the tracing of movements and evolutions of design and fashion across history.
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