Dec 5, 2017
In episode 91, Kestrel welcomes Harper Poe, the founder of Proud Mary, to the show. By partnering with global artisans to design modern goods using age-old techniques, Proud Mary grants local artisans an exponentially larger audience, while bolstering the creative industry within their communities.
"People are going to
keep buying clothes - that's not going to slow down, I don't
think ... I think it's hard from a marketing point of view when
both of those things are lumped together because artisan made and
factory production are two very different things."
-Harper Poe, founder of Proud Mary
Throughout this episode, Kestrel and Harper discuss the evolution of Proud Mary, and the newest direction Harper has taken the company in shifting to a direct-to-consumer model. They also explore the intricate differences between artisan made and ethical factory production, especially when it comes to whether or not this is something shoppers are paying close attention to.
The below thoughts, ideas + organizations were brought up in this chat:
- Aid To Artisans, a group Proud Mary worked with in their early years
- Nest, a group Proud Mary worked with in their early years
- Design Sponge, mentioned by Harper as part of the early blogger craze
- West African Trade Hub, helped Proud Mary develop a partnership with an artisan group in Mali
- Units / Multiples, modular clothing store in the '80s
- Interview of Kestrel on Proud Mary, which outlines several topics discussed in this chat
- Proud Mary's Rafia Shoe Styles, a popular item
- Proud Mary's knitwear collection, made in Bolivia
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This week's Conscious Chatter episode is brought to you by: Soluna Collective, an eco and ethical design company that makes products for your home. As a company, they respect the environment and the people living in it.
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