In collaboration with indigenous Shipibo-Konibo communities, this project will train young artisans and designers for 2 years. We will provide them with the tools to elaborate their own brand as well as market their products. In parallel to learning ancestral techniques (essential for the conservation of their heritage), the participants will receive monthly workshops from a variety of professional experts in fashion design, photography etc.
Shipibo-Konibo youth often lack access to higher education and job opportunities in their communities are often scarce. Nevertheless, the youth have access to a rich cultural history, which includes the Shibipo-Konibo kene. This project aims to give the youth the opportunity to revitalize ancestral artisanal practices and generate employment opportunities in fashion, paving the way for the first generation of Shipibo-Konibo fashion designers.
This introductory training program will prepare the youth for the national and international market. They will study concepts of modern fashion design and ancestral Shipibo-Konibo craftsmanship. They will work under the principles of sustainable fashion and fair exchange, framing their creations from the perspective of their own worldview and ancestral knowledge. The youth will be given the tools to create a collective brand, as well as autonomously realize their own projects.
This project consolidates two essential movements: indigenous peoples' empowerment and slow fashion. The participants of this training program will be given the tools to create a sustainable business, based on fair trade and zero waste principles. This project will pave the way for the first generation of environmentally conscious Shipibo-Konibo fashion designers. The success of this sustainable and local business, will in turn beget a higher demand and shift towards ethical fashion.
