BOLIVIA

In 2006 we travelled together to Bolivia for the first time. Satoru had been there earlier in the year and was intensely inspired, which resulted in us both travelling there a few months later.

Our dear friend Oscar Jensenious was writing his thesis on his social studies in Bolivia about the indifference and misrepresentation of the indigenous people of Bolivia. In his research he discovered that the largest group of indigenous communities in Bolivia are the Andean Aymara and Quechua people, who both are renowned for their alpaca heritage. "Why these communities are some of the poorest in the world when produce beautiful products from one the finest animal fibres" became an important topic in his thesis.

Throughout the years the alpaca industry as a whole had become stagnant due to lack of investment and positive output of creative ideas and design.

Connecting with small alpaca workshops and crafts communities in Bolivia, Oscar saw hope through the idea of promoting this beautiful material through relevant design and marketing. With this revelation he thought of conversations he had with us about our mission as a social design studio and invited us along to join him on his journey to La Paz, Bolivia.

This was the beginning of our own journey into how to create true positive impact through the power of design.

Evo Morales was elected as the first Bolivian president of indigenous heritage in 2006. With around 80% of Bolivia’s population being indigenous this was a significant turning point for social justice for the previously marginalised people and communities.

This historic turning point was also a great catalyst for our inspiration into how we could engage in social design locally. We visited family run workshops and small crafts co-ops in La Paz and in El Alto, which is the ever growing impoverished area of the capital city La Paz. El Alto is predominantly comprised of indigenous communities, who migrated from the Andean highlands in search of work. We were deeply encouraged by the energy of this new democratic change, which resulted in exciting collaborations with various workshops and craftsmen in the city and in El Alto.

We started with a small yet effective collection, which was bought by the newly opened Dover Street Market in London. Little did we know how important this achievement would have for our romantic dreams of impacting fashion through social entrepreneurship. A few days after delivering our first capsule collection Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme Des Garcons and Dover Street Market, recognised our passion and efforts for the Andean communities by seeing and feeling our alpaca garments, when visiting her store in London. She contacted us that same week for our first ever collaboration. Our collection “Crystal Journey” together with Comme Des Garcons immediately established us within the global fashion scene.