Waiting for the Monsoon - Film & Lecture by Charllotte Kwon
Slow clothes are a journey in the making. This lecture and film presented by Charllotte Kwon (founder of Maiwa) showcases points on that journey. Each maker that we feature is in full stride – with one foot in the traditional territory of the past and one foot already placed in the optimistic landscape of the future.
The quality of artisan cloth.
The quality of an artisan’s life.
Two reasons we have been making slow clothes for decades.
Since the time of the industrial revolution, cultural critics have claimed that mass manufacturing destroys a fundamental connection between life and meaning. Today, many don’t know how cotton grows or who farms it; few understand how it is dyed, woven into cloth, and sewn into something to wear.
To fill this void modern clothing is heavily branded—and the story of the brand fills the space that used to be filled by the voice of the cloth itself.
Handloom is a remarkable technology. Paradoxically, the world’s most complex weave structures are created on very basic looms. It is the simplicity of the loom that permits the weaver to intervene at every throw of the shuttle. And it is this intervention that transforms the weaver from labourer to artisan and gives the cloth its own voice.
But cloth that can sing is just the beginning. At Maiwa we work to extend our philosophy of artisan cloth to all aspects of clothing production.
If we can choose between a printed piece of cloth and a plain one—we will choose the printed. If we can choose between handloomed cloth and mill-made—we will go for the handloom. Every time we make these decisions, we keep a group of artisans working at their craft. These are often multi-generation artisan families who are beginning to enjoy an international reputation. Craft is about trade. If there is no demand, even the most skilled craftsperson must abandon their work.
We seek to turn modern clothing upside down. We don’t want to raise outputs and cut costs and build factories. We want to work alongside artisans in a village setting.
We think such partnerships are the only truly sensible long-term business plan. Do we believe in combining work and pleasure? Absolutely. We want to create a work environment that we would be happy to live in for generations to come.
