In partnership with Koibird, Nataal talks to S189 about how they are supporting their community in Ghana during Covid-19
Studio One Eighty Nine is at the forefront of ethical fashion production in Africa. The brand, led by Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, recently won the CFDA Lexus Fashion Initiative for Sustainability thanks to their hands-on and heartfelt approach to creating collections in Ghana with artisans from around the region. This season they’ve partner with London concept store Koibird to retail their uplifting SS20 collection. Entitled Heritage, it draws on storied patterns, prints and techniques, such as quilting and batik, to commemorate the historic bonds between West Africa and the Americas and paint a collaborative future.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic reached Ghana in early March, putting the country into lockdown with over 1,500 cases to date, S189 have been working tirelessly to help their team and wider community. Here we talk to Abrima about their affirmative action.
Nataal: What moves have S189 made to lend support in Ghana?
Abrima: We reached out to our team and artisans before the virus really hit West Africa and explained what we knew about Covid-19 at that time. We closed the factory for several weeks during the lockdown and we made sure our staff had necessary supplies, providing housing and food for some people that live far from Accra and couldn't go home.
We re-organised our production very early on to be able to make cotton masks. This was a way of offering an alternative to medical masks to consumers while still supplying basic protection. This was also a way to keep workers employed, safe and healthy through the crisis - making masks is something that can be done from home or from a factory. We then received requests from healthcare workers, from hospitals and from government. We are thrilled to be of service where and when we can.
Nataal: The masks look beautiful. Tell us more about them.
Abrima: They are made from leftover cotton. We do not throw away any fabric or trims when we produce. The masks give us a medium to create product that helps us fulfil our zero-waste goal. They are washable, reusable, breathable and stylish. They come in many different prints and colours and we will be issuing new styles on a regular basis. They also have a compartment for a filter. We do not set the filter but you can add one inside the mask for an extra layer of protection. Also thanks to the sales of the masks, we are able to donate masks to healthcare facilities, NGOs and others who are in need of a free mask.
Nataal: Covid-19 is a huge threat to the whole region’s ethical production chain. What should be done by the industry to support?
Abrima: The crisis puts an already vulnerable production chain in the region at risk. Less orders, increased costs, more health concerns and instability. I was watching a news segment yesterday and people in Nigeria were saying that if they don't die of coronavirus they risk dying from hunger. People need to be able to work or receive enough funds to be able to sustain their livelihoods. Not to mention, there will be decreased tourism, which many informal artisanal economies rely heavily upon. It's also raining season, which further adds to the complication.
For support? Organisations have to understand people are working in difficult situations. They should be more patient when it comes to deliveries and also should be willing to offer grants or pay premiums instead of asking for discounts. I can never understand why companies in wealthy countries expect marginalised communities in developing countries to bear the financial responsibility of an order. People working along the supply chain need to be considered as essential and human and not just as a cost centre that can be not paid or cut out when organisations look at their bottom lines. They are putting their lives at risk to make goods that we consume. They should be considered as partners.
Nataal: When consumers buy S189, how does it benefit your artisans?
Abrima: Every purchase directly impacts the supply chain. It pays the workers in the factory that cut and sew, the security guards, the mechanics, the cleaning people. It benefits the cotton spinners, the fabric dyers, the growers, the weavers. Everyone who relies on the human doing the work is impacted, too. Each worker supports their family and a much larger community. Studio 189 is run mostly by women and your purchase allows everyone to operate. In addition to that, it also helps us reach other objectives such as training, education, capacity building and creating community projects. Every dollar helps.
Nataal: What is the spirit of SS20?
Abrima: We celebrate all of the characteristics that make us different and also all our similarities through mixing prints and patterns and by encouraging the uniqueness of all the people that wear the brand. S189 should be a source of strength for customers and help them achieve their best selves, but in the end the clothes are meant as a backdrop to highlight the beauty of each individual.
Nataal: Tell us about some of the S189 pieces available at Koibird.
Abrima: Koibird has a beautiful silk ruffle collar dress. The silk is hand dyed by our artisans using a traditional batik technique. Every yard is painted by hand and no two pieces are exactly alike. It takes more than nine yards of fabric to make one dress. Sewing the dress involves lots of fullness manipulation to create the ruffles and panelling that make the dress so comfortable. It can take two tailors to sew the dress over several days.
Koibird also has a pair of high waisted woven pants - these are best-sellers that have a great flattering shape. They are made from organic cotton from Burkina Faso. It's grown there, spun there, dyed there, woven there. It is then put on a bus and sent to Accra where it is cut and sewn according to our designs.
Nataal: How are you planning for the future of the brand?
Abrima: We were about to open a new store at the Galleria Mall in Accra but when Covid-19 hit we had to postpone. At the moment, as well as focusing on making face masks, we are looking at producing gowns and providing other essential services. We are also starting to think about the new collection and how we will present it, and how we will plan towards operating in the "new normal".
Right now, we are just trying to get through the day and stay healthy. Everyone is taking care of their families and their communities and trying not to worry too much. It's a time for self-reflection, for higher consciousness, for love, for support. I absolutely think that the current Covid-19 pandemic is paving the way for more a conscious and sustainable future.
Buy Studio One Eighty Nine masks here.
Read all about Nataal’s partnership with Koibird here.
Discover four more African brands available at Koibird here.
Read our Studio One Eighty Nine SS20 catwalk report here.