Meet the women who make our clothes
Empowering people to be their own heroes by Alex Pawlowska

Meet the women who make our clothes

The Power Collection

Meet the women who make our clothes

Our clothes are made in a shelter in Delhi which trains and hires women in need, or as we prefer to call them, The Queens.

Every woman has a different story here. She might be a woman who struggles to feed her family or send her children to school, she might have been a child bride or she might have been divorced by her husband because she had a baby girl instead of a baby boy. By allocating jobs where they are needed, these clothes actually change somebody’s life for the better.

 

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One of the things that was really important to me when creating The Power Collection was that the making of these clothes change somebody's life for the better and create opportunities where they are needed. As I searched, one day I came across a Google Ad sharing a story about a shelter in India that hires and trains women in need. Providing them with fair pay, giving them opportunities to earn raises and promotions, creating a safe space for them to spend time and grow. Named WORK + SHELTER @workshelter, it was a partner I was looking for. The way I think about it now, is that they were looking for me and I was looking for them. Founded by @activist.entrepreneur, WORK + SHELTER is a place where women come to learn and call each other friends, where they gather around twice a day to share a cup of chai. Every woman has a different story here. She might be a woman who struggles to feed her family or send her children to school, she might have been a child bride or she might have been divorced by her husband because she had a baby girl instead of a baby boy. – Transparency is crucial in the fashion industry as human rights abuses are systemic throughout the industry. @labourbehindthelabel reports that "poverty wages, long hours, forced overtime, unsafe working conditions, sexual, physical and verbal abuse, repression of trade union rights and short term contracts are all commonplace in the clothing industry, in which 80% of garment workers are women". There is a lot that needs to be done differently. I believe that fashion can be a force for change. We just need a new, transparent and responsible way of bringing it to life. This is a snippet of the photoshoot from the day I was visiting the shelter. In the upcoming days you will get to know some of the women who wanted to share their stories. It was important to me that you get to know them and feel connected to them through their stories and the fabric that brings us all together. Music: Too Early 1 via @hellothematic.

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Spotlight on our production: Theresa VanderMeer @activist.entrepreneur started WORK + SHELTER @workshelter after she visited India researching with the University of Michigan. She heard stories of women whose jobs helped them overcome some difficult situations. Widows who weren't supported by their families who couldn't afford food for their children, women who divorced their abusive husbands but were outcast by society. She wanted to support these women. The best way she felt she could do that was by providing them with work as teaching them a skill was a sustainable way of helping them long term. After they raised some money on Kickstarter, Theresa quit her job and rented a small apartment in Delhi and they started making things. During the early days it was just Theresa on a laptop. Back then, they had to search for women, now, women walk through the door searching for work. Today there are over 40 women working at the shelter. Next: you will get to know stories of some of the workers who felt comfortable sharing their stories.

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Meet Kavita. She is 31 and she stitches. She works hard to make money to support her three children’s dreams and to pay for their school which is very expensive. This is her first job and she feels she learned so much at @workshelter. She was married very young into a family where she was not treated well. Her husband was an alcoholic and did not provide for the family. What makes her the most happy is providing for her children and seeing that they have a future, that she can offer them much more. Her dream is to see her kids fulfill their dreams. “All my worries go away when I am at WORK+SHELTER!,” she says. On one of our calls with WORK+SHELTER I was told that she is an excellent dancer. Music: Ever by @cultsmusic.

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Meet Geeta. She is 36 and is responsible for stitching. She manages and helps train other ladies on sewing techniques. When her husband lost his job, she needed to find a job. She went to an organisation where women work, there was no job that they could offer her there but they mentioned she could look into @workshelter. There, she has learnt everything on how to sew and has worked her way up. Her biggest dream is for her kids to study and get good jobs. She loves all her friends she has made at the shelter and that her boss, Theresa @activist.entrepreneur, is just like one of them – she supports and uplifts them every day. From meet the women behind The Power Collection series. Music: Ever by @cultsmusic.

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Meet Kavita. She is 31 and she stitches. She works hard to make money to support her three children’s dreams and to pay for their school which is very expensive. This is her first job and she feels she learned so much at @workshelter. She was married very young into a family where she was not treated well. Her husband was an alcoholic and did not provide for the family. What makes her the most happy is providing for her children and seeing that they have a future, that she can offer them much more. Her dream is to see her kids fulfill their dreams. “All my worries go away when I am at WORK+SHELTER!,” she says. On one of our calls with WORK+SHELTER I was told that she is an excellent dancer. Music: Ever by @cultsmusic.

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