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Ethical Fashion Africa is a UN initiative run by the International Trade Centre. Taking a grassroots approach, the initiative is explained by the head of poor communities and trade programme, Simone Cipriani as “a programmme working with micro communities to produce in an international value chain.”
Online magazine publication Crane.tv meets the people from the Kenyan Masai communities who have become a part of the programme. Following post-election violence and acute drought Ethical Fashion Africa has helped to restore and rebuild these communities by providing work for the women. The independence and sense of self of worth instilled by their work, has become a postive driving force within their communities.
Vivienne Westwood kickstarted the initiative, moving a small amount of production to Africa. She visited the communities last year, with photographer Juergen Teller, to shoot her Autumn Winter 2011/12 campaign. Stella McCartney has also shown her support with new projects on the horizon.
Vivienne Westwood by Juergen Teller
