Fashion Revolution Week
It’s Fashion Revolution week, a chance to reflect on how and where your clothes and accessories have come from. At Bohemia all our products are completely handmade by skilled artisans based in Morocco, India, Turkey and Kenya.
We always use locally sourced raw materials and use time honoured handcrafting techniques. As much as possible, we use natural materials such as palm leaf, sisal and natural leather that is traditionally tanned and dyed by hand using plant based dyes.
Our most recent collaboration was with BeadWORKS Kenya. BeadWORKS is a social enterprise that works with self governed groups of women from the Samburu and Maasai communities in Northern Kenya who create beautiful hand beaded goods. We were honored to collaborate on an ethically made contemporary jewellery collection and help contribute to the beadworking income the women use to maintain their traditional semi-nomadic way of life, send their children to school and support their families. Find out more about BeadWORKS Kenya.
Most of the time, the artisans we partner with, work in their own homes or local villages. However this year we have started the long process of setting up our own workshop on the outskirts of Marrakech. The goal is to provide sustainable, regular employment and premises for a number of artisans to work in together under one roof. Working there at the moment are the skilled weavers who make the handles for our baskets, Nouradine who crafts our beautiful brass mirrors and Rachid and his expert team who make our soft leather babouche slippers.
We believe the work Fashion Revolution are doing to raise questions and starting meaningful conversations about fast fashion and what it means to be ethical, for both brands and consumers, is so important.
Bohemia was established in 2006 to celebrate traditional artisanal crafts and make them accessible to a wider audience. It’s disappointing to see copies of traditionally handcrafted goods on the high street, often selling at similar prices, because it’s a current trend. We know these have been mass produced in countries that are not the original source of the design. We hope that we can provide enough information to our customers and show them why buying artisan made goods is so much more beneficial for everyone involved. The handmade goods we create are made to last and be cherished for many years to come.
As with every organisation there is always room for improvement. We are striving to become completely plastic free in our packaging (we are almost there), streamline production processes and create a space in Morocco that provides exceptional working conditions. The space will also allow visitors to see the full handmade process and share our love of handcrafted goods. We look forward to sharing it with you when it’s complete!
To celebrate our recent jewellery collaboration with BeadWORKS Kenya we’re giving you the chance to win a hand beaded Melako Necklace and pair of earrings! Visit our Instagram account @bohemiadesign to enter. Good luck!
