Koppola – Maasai beader.

This season Karen Walker, Goddess of eyewear, is using her product advertising platform  to highlight her work with the United Nations’ International Trade Centres Ethical Fashion Initiative whose task it is to promote sustainable business over aid dependency.

Velma – Assistant.

Each pair of her new sunglasses will come with a screen-printed pouch made by Kenyan Artisans, with a further option of buying more embellished, more expensive pouches as well.

Winnifred – Supervisor.

In a clever, human move that perfectly illustrates the interwoven connections within the project and Karen Walker’s thinking, the workers and makers have also become the models and the faces of the glasses.

Beatrice – Craftsperson.

She says:  ‘The Campaign captures our innate optimism, our love of maximum-impact in the images themselves and also directs attention to Kenya in a positive way.  The images help to bring visibility to how fashion can be a vital vehicle out of poverty.’

Rason – Maasai Beader.

Florence – Artist.

Anton – Metal Caster.

All photos by Derek Henderson

The workers are no longer the forgotten force but have personally created the Work of Art this Campaign is by owning the visual story and underlining the simple fact that beauty is around all of us in our every day.

Effective, clever..and stunning.

Laters, Kate x