New on THE KINDCRAFT
Thriving At High Altitude—The Bolivian Textiles of Andi'Art
Truly stunning photos from photojournalist Anne-Laure Camilleri, who visited the Bolivian Altiplano to document Andi'Art — a design collaboration between indigenous weavers and a French designer.
🙌 THE KINDCRAFT Featured by Harper's Bazaar India and MM.LaFleur
We were thrilled to see THE KINDCRAFT given a coverline on Harper's Bazaar India's 10th Anniversary issue and very grateful to share some of our thoughts about storytelling and product design with their readers. And it looks like all those hours of Instagramming paid off as MM.LaFleur recently included Lauren and THE KINDCRAFT in this look at professional women and their use of social media.
Events — North America
Study Hall L.A. — Circularity, Denim, and Human Rights
Presented in collaboration with MIT Media Lab, G-Star RAW, and Ace Hotel L.A., the upcoming Los Angeles edition of Study Hall conference promises to be another strong event. Scheduled panels include discussions on colonialism in the supply chain, the role of consumers in reforming environmental ills, and the future of circularity in manufacturing. (August 26, 2018)
Events — Asia + Australia
'Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival'
Sydney's Australian Design Centre presents 'Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival'. The series celebrates craft and making with an eclectic program of 28 short films from around the globe. (September 5th and 6th, 2018)
Product Spotlight
Our New Block Prints Are Here!
Our new collection of block-printed bandanas + scarves were inspired by the traditional crafts of Rajasthan, India. Lauren says the symbolism within the design is personal for her: The hand gesture means "I Love You' in American Sign Language, the eye design represents vision, and the lips represent true speech. Get yours here!
Recommended Video
Anthony Bourdain's "Raw Craft" with Elizabeth Brim
Anthony Bourdain will, of course, always be remembered for his explorations of food and global culture, and a thread which ran through almost all of his work was a love and appreciation of craft — the techniques and skills which, in the right hands, enable truly creative work. Before his untimely death, Bourdain produced several episodes of "Raw Craft", a web series that celebrated hand-crafted things. If you can look past some gratuitous product placement, the stories he tells are engaging -- like this one with Elizabeth Brim, master metalsmith and instructor at the Penland School of Crafts. (Bonus: Read the behind the scenes of this episode here).
Recommended Book
Bill Cunningham Left Behind a Secret Memoir
Just in time for New York Fashion Week comes the release of "Fashion Climbing", memoirs from the early career of beloved fashion and society photographer Bill Cunningham. Discovered after his death in 2016, the manuscript has been described as "a really beautiful story about a young, artistic man finding his way in the city, in a particular kind of bohemian world that doesn’t quite exist anymore.”
Design
A Vogue for Africa?
Journalist Lynsey Chutel makes a case that, despite calls from figures like Naomi Campbell for more magazines and fashion events, what the local industry really needs is customers.
'The Balancing Act Of Fashion Business'
One to watch: Started earlier this year by three graduates of London College of Fashion's Masters course of Applied Psychology in Fashion, HAJINSKY Magaizine describes itself "providing psychological insight into the human experience within the fashion industry, and the social reality created by it." This article by writer Pak Lun Chiu about the tensions between creativity and commercial viability is a good place to start exploring.
Culture
'A Journey Through Contested Lands'
Six Magnum photographers went out into remote regions around the world where indigenous communities are waging unseen battles against governments and commercial interests to remain on their ancestral lands. Brilliant photography and writing, a thoughtful web layout, and a subject which is worthy of a reader’s time and attention — If you’re looking for a model of good journalism in 2018, here it is.
Indigenous Geographies Overlap in This Colorful Online Map
A useful companion to the link above: Atlas Obscura profiles Native Land, an online mapping website that strips out country and state borders in order to highlight the complex patchwork of historic and present-day Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages. Right now, most of the content is within the United States, Canada, and Australia... but it's already on a path to be a useful resource for global culture lovers.
A Study in Indigo: Behind Japan’s Most Popular Hue
Great photography and writing in AirBnb magazine's profile of Buaisou — the Tokushima, Japan indigo collective previously featured on THE KINDCRAFT. When you're finished reading, jump over to our store and support Buaisou's amazing work by picking up one of their hand-dyed bandanas or coasters.
Traditional Arts
A Rug-Weaver Searching for Social Justice in Oaxaca
Deborah Needleman continues her exploration of material culture for T Magazine with this profile of Oaxacan rug-weaver Pastora Asunción Gutierrez Reyes. We had the pleasure of meeting both Needleman and Gutierrez Reyes while in New York recently and think this story of how craft transformed the lives of women in a small village is one you'll appreciate. (Bonus Read: Pilar Guzmán's 'Inside Oaxaca's Female-Led Craft Revolution')
A Canadian Museum Promotes Indigenous Art. But Don’t Call It ‘Indian’.
The New York Times looks at how the Canadian conversation about representation of indigenous art might provide a roadmap for larger American museums.
Colorful Miao Embroidery
Great Big Story with a lovely video about the traditional embroidery of China's Miao people.
Business + Entrepreneurship
Notable articles you may have missed...
MPs are to investigate the environmental impact of throwaway “fast fashion” in the UK amid growing concerns that the multi-billion pound industry is wasting valuable resources and contributing to climate change.
Dene-Hern Chen with great reporting on Rohingya refugees working under the radar in Bangladesh’s garment factories.
Burberry destroyed unsold clothes, accessories and perfume worth £28.6m last year to protect its brand.
How big tech companies are co-opting "handmade" design cues in an attempt to humanize their product offerings.
Sustainability
A Round-Up of Sustainability Articles!
- Lucy Siegel (whose new book on reversing the flood of consumer plastics was recently released in the UK) with 10 bold predictions for how fashion might get greener.
- Céline Semaan (one of the organizers of the Study Hall LA event mentioned earlier) shares her thoughts on how sustainable fashion can only work when it's inclusive .
- A fascinating piece by The Outline on how use of cement in "sustainable economy" projects might, in fact, prevent our society from achieving its climate goals.
- Asos launches an initiative to educate its designers on sustainability.
- This startup wants your next T-shirt to be made from wood.
- ELLE UK Dedicates September Issue To Sustainability.
- Designing the Death of a Plastic.
Wrapping Up / Looking Ahead
That's a Wrap!
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