Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Supermodel Liya Kebede's Ethical Fashion Apparel Preserves Ethiopian Hand Weaving (Video & Photos)



Credit: LemLem

Ethiopian supermodel and and World Health Organisation Goodwill Ambassador Liya Kebede graces the pages of Vogue this month wearing her ethical fashion label the Lemlem collection--styled with a pair of Olsen Haus vegan shoes, to boot--reports Ecorazzi. Lemlem launched in 2007 out of Liya's desire to create a Western market for the traditional weavers of Ethiopia and, according to her website, "to preserve the art of weaving." Initially the line was comprised of children's apparel but it has since expanded to include women's clothing and accessories; summer dresses, tunics, scarves, wraps, sarongs, and more. Click through for photos of the collection, the weaving process and a video interview with Liya Kebede.

The Hand Made Process
The collection is produced on a small scale using traditional handwoven fabrics that are made with 60% cotton and 40% rayon (Lyocell, Tencel™, or Modal™ are more sustainable alternatives to rayon). View the hand made process in a series of photos, below.

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