Enhance ReadabilityThe artisan industry is the largest employer of women in the world, yet many indigenous artisans struggle to sell their goods at a fair price — or at all — due to the saturation of knockoffs in the market.
After traveling through the Peruvian Andes and interviewing thousands of artisans about the challenges posed by mass economies, Jasmine Aarons founded Voz, a stunning ethical luxury fashion company that celebrates the culture and vision of rural indigenous craftswomen. The company provides resources, design leadership, and training to its artisan partners, empowering women economically, creatively, and culturally by enabling them to sell their goods in the global market at competitive prices.
Photo courtesy of Chet Strange.
Voz works primarily with Mapuche artisans in Temuco, Chile, but has scaled to collaborate with Puno artisans in Peru, and Tangail weavers in India. Read on for the full Q&A below:
What does Voz exist to do?
JA: We are trying to bridge talent and demand through a collaborative, respectful process that elevates traditional craftwork to modern, high-luxury markets through material choice, through market access, and through marketing support.
Why have you chosen to collaborate with traditional craftworkers?
JA: Traditional craftwork, specifically textiles, is the pre-written-word word of any culture. It’s the scripture, the symbols, the plants that are used. The mythology that is woven into these pieces tells the story and history of every single culture. To celebrate the bearers of this cultural knowledge — the weavers themselves, the artisans — and to enable them to create exquisite renditions of their work is our fundamental mission as a design intermediary. We want them to make a living by preserving their culture in a globalized context.
Why are you passionate about that mission? Why does this work matter to you?
JA: As a designer and artist, I am deeply dedicated to supporting communities of artisans and artists that are protecting and upholding indigenous wisdom and knowledge. This is extremely important because right now indigenous artists and communities are struggling to maintain that knowledge and to pass it on to their children in light of the challenge posed by knockoffs, mass production, and globalized economies.
How does Voz enable indigenous communities to combat the negative impacts of globalization and mass economies?
JA: First of all, we recognize that in order to help an artisan’s extraordinary talent and skill stand out from a crowded marketplace, it can help to introduce them to the concept of product design and innovation on form and fit. We also need to give them a competitive edge by importing luxury materials they can use in their garments, and by photographing and documenting those products in a professional way that will resound internationally with buying customers.
