CORNUCOPIA – Sustainable Fashion and The Plight of the Balinese Artisan – Lorna Watson

How one company is helping stop the erosion of our generational artisans sustainably and ethically…. while gaining the world’s attention.

Tourism has done much to lift many in the developing world out of poverty but at a considerable social cost. While it is understandable for laborers or artisans to want to escape a life where they have been struggling to feed their families, we have witnessed the devastating impact this has had on entire communities over the past decade, with rural skills such as harvesting crops and handcrafting goods all but disappearing. Many are now forced to compete with one another for menial labor or jobs in tourism, while still struggling to make a decent wage.

STELAR sits at the intersection of business, social enterprise, craftsmanship, and philanthropy, serving as a conduit to the preservation of more meaningful and sustainable economies. Adopting a pro-active approach to this crisis, STELAR is re-evaluating and re-interpreting age-old skills and training artisans to adapt. By bringing contemporary relevance to these skills via modern design sensibilities and the addition of higher value materials, STELAR is able to create contemporary luxury items and experiences that have significance in today’s international marketplace, while elevating the expertise and empowering young artisans to seek a future in skills inherited from their forefathers. These generational skills are not only crucial to the lineage and livelihoods of the artisans but also critical to maintaining the local culture, customs, and family communities.

STELAR’s unique coding system connects the customer, via its website, to the origins of their item and forges an authentic narrative between the artisan, the customer, and the international marketplace. This also provides a context and value to the skills and people behind the items, not just to the items themselves and puts the artisan at the center of their business and brand.

Lorna Watson is a 25 years veteran in the Luxury Goods Industry, 15 of which have been with start-ups. Lorna has worked extensively throughout Asia and has held positions as Head of Design for Dior, De Beers, Wedgwood and Faberge, and more recently as Creative Director for Astley Clarke, pioneers in luxury e-commerce. She continues to work as a Senior Management Consultant, advising on creative, commercial and operational strategies.