I’m totally diggin’ Raven + Lily, a socially ethical line that’s dedicated to empowering women through design. By combining the passions of ethical design and fashion, Raven + Lily has curated a platform to further alleviate poverty among women and families in various parts of the world. The women artisans behind Raven + Lily are empowered and though faced with adversity, are able to learn a craft that creates a sustainable job opportunity, develops their sense of meaning in the world and allows them control to create a life they are proud of. Totally amaze, right?
What inspires your designs?
Being able to travel and work with the women first hand inspires me most. Each culture we work with is so unique and it’s a fun challenge to figure out how to merge their skills and traditional materials with current western trends.
What role does sustainability play in your life?
I think sustainability plays a big role in my life. From my travels to visit our groups in India, Ethiopia, and Cambodia I become hyper aware when I return home of how wasteful our culture is in the USA. I am always seeking to use less water, recycle more, buy less stuff. I think consumerism is one of the biggest enemies of sustainability but it is something we are bread for here. I constantly have to check myself before I buy something to make sure I really need it. I try to remake my clothes when I get tired of them and I mostly buy thrift and vintage clothes. I’m so glad to be a part of R+L too as we all strive to be more sustainable personally and collectively in our business practices. It’s nice to work with like minded people.
How does culture inspire the Raven + Lily brand and mission?
We love and celebrate diversity! All of our designs are inspired by the culture they come from. By using traditional materials and techniques we are able to tap into the vein of each cultures ancient creative skill sets and tweak them to make them relevant to our modern customer base. Our mission is to empower women so in another vein we create a culture of respect for all women, no matter their age, race, religion, social status, etc.
What are some of your favorite Raven + Lily pieces?
It’s hard to choose. We never put something into production that we wouldn’t wear personally. Today my favorite piece is the Amleset Macrame Necklace. Macrame a new skill our workers taught themselves and it excites me that they showed initiative to learn and become better at what they do. This wasn’t the case when we first started with them so it’s encouraging to see them flourishing in their work and outlook on life!
